Hydrothermal treatment of nanoparticle thin films for enhanced mechanical durability

The mechanical durability of nanoporous all-nanoparticle and polymer-nanoparticle layer-by-layer (LbL) films (80-150 nm thick) on both glass and polycarbonate substrates has been greatly enhanced by hydrothermal treatment (124-134 degrees C). Polymer-nanoparticle films were more durable than all-nanoparticle films after hydrothermal treatment. The optical properties of nanoporous antireflection (AR) films were exploited in an abrasion test (25-100 kPa normal stress) to quantify the extent of abrasive wear observed qualitatively by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Marginal damage was observed under optimal reinforcement conditions. Untreated films not only delaminated from the surface completely but also damaged their underlying glass and polycarbonate substrates during testing. The nature of the substrate was found to play an important role in determining abrasion resistance, regardless of the level of particle fusion in the film. The low-temperature process enables in situ mechanical reinforcement of otherwise delicate nanoparticle assemblies on plastic substrates. Tribochemical wear was found to planarize the nanoscale surface texture of these films, similar to what is observed in chemo-mechanical polishing (CMP). This finding is useful for anyone trying to make robust superhydrophobic or superhydrophilic coatings. To our knowledge, this is the first report on hydrothermal reinforcement of LbL films.