Lubricant-infused titania surfaces with high underwater transparency for antifouling applications: A combined experimental and molecular dynamics study

Abstract Marine optical instruments are usually blinded by biofouling. Biomimetic slippery lubricant-infused surfaces have been used for antifouling applications. Herein, lubricant-infused titania surfaces on glass substrates were fabricated, involving the formation of nanostructured surfaces via a sol–gel process of alkoxide, followed by fluorination treatment and then lubricant infusion. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations directly suggested the adsorption behavior of fluorinate molecules on titania surfaces and the interaction between the fluorinated surface and lubricant molecules. The MD simulation results also illustrated the different interactions between as-prepared surfaces and water molecules, indicating the formation of stable lubricant-infused surfaces. The lubricant-infused surfaces showed a high transparency up to 87% throughout the visible-light region, and exhibited excellent antifouling performance by declining adhesion by 94% Phaeodactylum tricornutum. The results would show great potential of lubricant-infused surfaces for antifouling applications of marine optical instruments with high transparency.