Synthesis and surface properties of amphiphilic fluorine‐containing diblock copolymers

• Published in: Journal of applied polymer science Vol. 138; no. 4
• Main Authors: Chekurov, Kirill E., Barabanova, Anna I., Blagodatskikh, Inesa V., Lokshin, Boris V., Kondratenko, Mikhail S., Gallyamov, Marat O., Peregudov, Alexander S., Khokhlov, Alexei R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken, USA John Wiley & Sons, Inc 20.01.2021; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Addition polymerization; Block copolymers; Chain transfer; Coatings; Contact angle; Cotton; Fluorine; Hydrophobic surfaces; Hydrophobicity; Materials science; Polyesters; Polyhydroxyethyl methacrylate; Polymers; Surface properties
• ISSN: 0021-8995; 1097-4628
• DOI: 10.1002/app.49714

Amphiphilic diblock copolymers (DCs) of 2,3,4,5,6‐pentafluorostyrene (PFS) and 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) of different composition and molecular weights were prepared by two‐step reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization and first used for preparation of superhydrophobic coatings for cotton/polyester fabrics. The transition from hydrophobic to superhydrophobic coatings is controlled by the ratio between poly(2,3,4,5,6‐pentafluorostyrene) (PPFS) block and poly(2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) block lengths (PnPFS/PnHEMA). The increase in PnPFS/PnHEMA is accompanied by a significant increase in water (θН2О) and diiodomethane (θCH2I2) contact angles, which reach the plateau at PnPFS/PnHEMA = 3.5 and remains almost constant up to PnPFS/PnHEMA = 6.2. Surface modification of the cotton/polyester fabric with the DC having PnPFS/PnHEMA = 6.2 produced superhydrophobic surface with θН2О = 158 ± 4° and contact angle hysteresis CAH = 5 ± 2°, and θCH2I2 = 107 ± 3°. Amphiphilic fluorine‐containing diblock copolymers (DCs) are synthesized via sequential RAFT polymerization of 2,3,4,5,6‐pentafluorostyrene and 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate. The DCs are first used for creation of superhydrophobic coatings for cotton/polyester fabrics. Water and diiodomethane contact angles well above 150° and 100°, respectively, are achieved, depending on the ratio between poly(2,3,4,5,6‐pentafluorostyrene) block and poly(2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate) block lengths.