Synthesis of monodisperse fluorinated silica nanoparticles and their superhydrophobic thin films

Monodispersive silica nanoparticles have been synthesized via the Stöber process and further functionalized by adding fluorinated groups using fluoroalkylsilane in an ethanolic solution. In this process, six different sizes of fluorinated silica nanoparticles of varying diameter from 40 to 300 nm are prepared and used to deposit thin films on aluminum alloy surfaces using spin coating processes. The functionalization of silica nanoparticles by fluorinated group has been confirmed by the presence C-F bonds along with Si-O-Si bonds in the thin films as analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The surface roughnesses as well as the water contact angles of the fluorinated silica nanoparticle containing thin films are found to be increased with the increase of the diameter of the synthesized fluorinated silica nanoparticles. The thin films prepared using the fluorinated silica nanoparticles having a critical size of 119 ± 12 nm provide a surface roughness of ∼0.697 μm rendering the surfaces superhydrophobic with a water contact angle of 151 ± 4°. The roughness as well as the water contact angle increases on the superhydrophobic thin films with further increase in the size of the fluorinated silica nanoparticles in the films.