Tuning hydrophobicity of TiO2 layers with silanization and self-assembled nanopatterning

The wettability of TiO2 layers is controlled by forming highly ordered arrays of nanocones using nanopatterning, based on self-assembly and dry etching. Nanopatterning of TiO2 layers is achieved via formation of self-assembled monolayers of SiO2 spheres fabricated using the Langmuir-Blodgett technique, followed by dry etching. Three types of TiO2 layers were fabricated using the sol-gel technique, sputtering, and thermal process in order to address the relationship between the wettability and the structure of TiO2 nanostructures. Compared to a thin film TiO2 layer, the nanopatterned TiO2 samples show a smaller static water contact angle (i.e., where the water contact angle decreases as the etching time increases), which is attributed to the Wenzel equation. When TiO2 layers are coated by 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyltrichlorosilane, we observed the opposite behavior, exhibiting superhydrophobicity (up to contact angle of 155°) on the nanopatterned TiO2 layers. Self-assembled nanopatterning of the TiO2 layer may provide an advanced method for producing multifunctional transparent layers with self-cleaning properties.