Amphiphobicity of polyvinylidene fluoride porous films after atmospheric pressure plasma intermittent etching

This study modified the surface of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) films and characterized their surface physicochemical properties. The main aim of this study was to examine how to provide the surface with a specific property, e.g., not only hydrophobic but also oleophobic (amphiphobicity) after argon atmospheric pressure plasma (APP) treatment. The surface free energy calculated using the Owens–Wendt (OW) method decreased significantly while showing a very small value of the polar component. Scanning electron microscopy indicated that a small amount of hydrophilic solid spines and many superamphiphobic uniform micro air pockets formed in the plasma-modified PVDF film, which made it amphiphobic but not superamphiphobic.