Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Preparation of superhydrophobic and self-cleaning polysulfone non-wovens by electrospinning: influence of process parameters on morphology and hydrophobicity

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Polymer Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Electrospinning is used to prepare hydrophobic and self-cleaning polysulfone (PSf) surfaces. The effects of PSf concentration in Dimethylformamide (DMF) solvent and electrospinning process parameters on the surface structure and hydrophobicity are investigated. The experimental results show that depending on PSf concentration, three types of morphologies are obtained: beads, beads-on-strings, and free-beads fibers. The surface hydrophobicity depends mainly on the resultant surface morphology, and the existence of beads increases hydrophobicity. The contact angle (CA) is found to increase from 73° for smooth PSf surface to more than 160° for surfaces formed by electrospinning. Moreover, the contact angle hysteresis (CAH) was generally less than 10° for all the chemistries. It is noted that increasing the PSf concentration leads to the formation of beads-on-string and free-beads fiber structures; this morphological change is accompanied by a reduction in the contact angle. Surface structures are found to be more sensitive to electrospinning feed rate than to electrospinning voltage; however, these two parameters have a negligible influence on the hydrophobicity. Porosity measurements of different chemistries show an average pore size in the range 3–8 microns. The thickness of PSf mats was variable, from as low as 10 μm to as high as 70 μm.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Zhang X, Shi F, Niu J, Jiang Y, Wang Z (2008) Superhydrophobic surfaces: from structural control to functional application. J Mater Chem 18:621–633

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Zheng J, He A, Li J, Xu J, Han CC (2006) Studies on the controlled morphology and wettability of polystyrene surfaces by electrospinning or electrospraying. Polymer 47:7095–7102

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Wang L, Yang S, Wang J, Wang C, Chen L (2011) Fabrication of superhydrophobic TPU film for oil–water separation based on electrospinning route. Mater Lett 65:869–872

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Neinhuis C, Barthlott W (1997) Characterization and distribution of water-repellent, self-cleaning plant surfaces Ann. Bot 79:667–677

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Zhan N, Li Y, Zhang C, Song Y, Wang H, Sun L, Yang Q, Hong X (2010) A novel multinozzle electrospinning process for preparing superhydrophobic PS films with controllable bead-on-string/microfiber morphology. J Colloid Interface Sci 345:491–495

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Jiang L, Zhao Y, Zhai J (2004) A Lotus-Leaf-like Superhydrophobic Surface: A Porous Microsphere/Nanofiber Composite Film Prepared by Electrohydrodynamics. Angew Chem Int Ed 43:4338–4341

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Chen Y, Kim H (2009) Preparation of superhydrophobic membranes by electrospinning of fluorinated silane functionalized poly(vinylidene fluoride). Appl Surf Sci 255:7073–7077

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Lim J-M, Yi G-R, Moon JH, Heo C-J, Yang S-M (2007) Superhydrophobic Films of Electrospun Fibers with Multiple-Scale Surface Morphology. Langmuir 23:7981–7989

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Wang H-S, Fu G-D, Li X-S (2009) Functional Polymeric Nanofibers from Electrospinning. Recent Pat Nanotechnol 3:21–31

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Zhang L, Liu L, Pan FL, Wang D, Pan Z, Effects of Heat Treatment on the Morphology and Performance of PSf Electrospun Nanofibrous Membrane, J. Engr. Fibers & Fabrics 16, SPECIAL ISSUE - July 2012

  11. Khan Z, Kafiah FM (2013) “Preparation of Polysulfone Electrospun Nanofibers: Effect of Electrospinning and Solution Parameters”, Conference on Membrane Science & Technology MST, Aug. 27–29, Kaula Lumpur, Malaysia

  12. Jalili R, Hosseini SA, Morshed M (2005) The Effects of Operating Parameters on the Morphology of Electrospun Polyacrilonitrile Nanofibres. Iran Polym J 14:1074

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Fong H, Chun I, Reneker DH (1999) Beaded nanofibers formed during electrospinning. Polymer 40:4585

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Chang KH, Lin HL (2009) Nano hydroxyapatite–polysulfone coating on Ti-6Al-4V substrate by electrospinning. J Polym Res 16:611

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Dhakate SR, Singla B, Uppal M, Mathur RB (2010) Effect of Processing Parameters on Morphology and Thermal Properties Of Electrospun Polycarbonate Nanofibers. Adv Mat Lett 1:200

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Cassie ABD, Baxter S (1944) Wettability of porous surfaces. Trans Faraday Soc 40:546–551

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. K. Acatay, E. Simsek, C.O.-Yang, Y.Z. Menceloglu, Tunable superhydrophobically stable polymeric surfaces by electrospinning, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 43 (2004) 5210–5213

  18. Chen W, Fadeev AY, Hsieh MC, Oner D, Youngblood J, McCarthy TJ (1999) Ultrahydrophobic and Ultralyophobic Surfaces: Some Comments and Examples. Langmuir 15(10):3395–3399

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Öner D, McCarthy TJ (2000) Ultrahydrophobic Surfaces. Effects of Topography Length Scales on Wettability. Langmuir 16(20):7777–7782

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Yabu H, Shimomura M (2005) Single-Step Fabrication of Transparent Superhydrophobic Porous Polymer Films. Chem Mater 17:5231

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Gu G, Dang H, Zhang Z, Wu Z (2006) Fabrication and characterization of transparent superhydrophobic thin films based on silica nanoparticles. Appl Phys A 83:131

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Hozumi A, Takai O (1998) Preparation of silicon oxide films having a water-repellent layer by multiple-step microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. Thin Solid Films 334:54

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Feng L, Zhang Y, Xi J, Zhu Y, Wang N, Xia F, Jiang L (2008) Petal effect: A superhydrophobic state with high adhesive force. Langmuir 24:4114

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Duparré A, Flemming M, Steinert J, Reihs K (2002) Optical coatings with enhanced roughness for ultrahydrophobic, low-scatter applications, Appl. Opt. 41 3294

  25. Tadanaga K, Kitamuro K, Matsuda A, Minami TJ (2003) Formation of Superhydrophobic Alumina Coating Films with High Transparency on Polymer Substrates by the Sol–gel Method, Sol–Gel Sci. Technol 26:705

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Rao AV, Latthe SS, Nadargi DY, Hirashima H, Ganesan V (2009) Preparation of MTMS based superhydrophobic silica films by sol–gel method. J Colloid Interface Sci 332:484

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Quere D, Lafuma A, Bico J (2003) Slippy and sticky microtextured solids. Nanotechnology 14:1109

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Lafuma A, Quere D (2003) Superhydrophobic states. Nat Mater 2:457

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the financial support of King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) through KFUPM-MIT Project No. R16-DMN-11, and King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) through Project No. 11-ADV2134-04. In addition, the following personnel at KFUPM are acknowledged for their assistance with specimen preparation and characterization: Feras Kafiah for sample preparation, Prof Tahar Laoui (ME dept.) for permission to use his Nanotechnology Lab and relevant consumables, and Faheem Patel for assisting with the porosity measurements.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, 31261, Saudi Arabia

    M. Al-Qadhi, N. Merah & N. Abu-Dheir

  2. Center of Excellence for Scientific & Research Collaboration with MIT, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, 31261, Saudi Arabia

    N. Merah & A. Matin

  3. Department of Chemistry, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, 31261, Saudi Arabia

    M. Khaled

  4. Center for Engineering Research, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, 31261, Saudi Arabia

    A. Matin

  5. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 01239, USA

    K. Youcef-Toumi

Authors
  1. M. Al-Qadhi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. N. Merah
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. A. Matin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. N. Abu-Dheir
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. M. Khaled
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. K. Youcef-Toumi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. Matin.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Al-Qadhi, M., Merah, N., Matin, A. et al. Preparation of superhydrophobic and self-cleaning polysulfone non-wovens by electrospinning: influence of process parameters on morphology and hydrophobicity. J Polym Res 22, 207 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10965-015-0844-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10965-015-0844-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation