Preparation of a multifunctional material with superhydrophobicity, superparamagnetism, mechanical stability and acids–bases resistance by electrospinning

A multifunctional material with superhydrophobicity, superparamagnetism, mechanical stability and acids–bases resistance was developed from the bead-on-string PVDF and Fe3O4@SiO2@POTS nanoparticles by electrospinning in this work. The Fe3O4@SiO2@POTS nanoparticles which have excellent superparamagnetism were successfully prepared and subsequently introduced into PVDF precursor solution. Through electrospinning, Fe3O4@SiO2@POTS nanoparticles irregularly distributed in the membrane to not only make a dual-scale roughness which is beneficial to obtain a superhydrophobic surface but also stimulate the material turns to superparamagnetic for wider use in different fields. More importantly, the film shows stable superhydrophobicity even for many corrosive solutions, such as acidic or basic solutions over a wide pH range and remarkable mechanical stability. The composition and surface structure of the film are the two critical factors that induce such unusual properties. The weight ratio of Fe3O4@SiO2@POTS/PVDF can strongly influence the superhydrophobicity and mechanical properties of the composite films.