Preparation and characterisation of super-hydrophobic surfaces

The interest in highly water-repellent surfaces has grown in recent years due to the desire for self-cleaning surfaces. A super-hydrophobic surface is one that achieves a water contact angle of 150 degrees or greater. This article explores the different approaches used to construct super-hydrophobic surfaces and identifies the key properties of each surface that contribute to its hydrophobicity. The models used to describe surface interaction with water are considered, with attention directed to the methods of contact angle analysis. A summary describing the different routes to hydrophobicity is also given.