Alkyl- and fluoroalkyltrialkoxysilanes for wettability modification

Alkyl- and fluoroalkyltriethoxysilanes were investigated as potential surface modifiers. Many aspects concerning trialkoxysilanes were discussed, starting from hydrolysis of silanes in water solutions, the effect of this hydrolysis on the surface tension, wettability of the modified surface to the morphology of the modified surface. Surface tension and contact angle measurements as well as scanning electron microscopy were used to characterise alkyl- and fluoroalkyltriethoxysilanes and their ability to modify the wettability of glass. The effect of such modification was superhydrophobic surface with high values of contact angles. Superhydrophobic behaviour was observed as a result of two-step modification providing increased surface roughness thanks to the use of different size silica particles and surface chemical modification with fluorosilane molecules.