Tunable Surface Wettability On Transparent Substrates By Ions

In this thesis, we have successfully fabricated a polyelectrolyte tethered transparent surface, on which superhydrophobicity and superhydrophilicity can be reversibly switched via counterion exchange between chloride ion (Cl-) and perfluorooctanate ion (PFO"). Utilizing the high transparency and roughness of the silicone nanofilaments coated glass substrate, we can obtain distinct transparent superhydrophobic surface by controlling the reaction time. Furthermore, the superhydrophobic glass can be changed into superhydrophilic surface by calcinations or water plasma, and the water plasma treatment do not disrupt the structure of the silicone nanofilaments, which is useful for the further modification of the surface. The stable superhydrophobic state can be obtained only when a certain extent of fluorine is chemically incorporated into the grafted polyelectrolyte. The counterion exchange does not have any influence on the transmittance of the transparent surface and the superhydrophobicity and superhydrophilicity can be reversibly switched on the surface for many cycles without any apparent damage to the wetting properties. Additionally, the transparent surface can be applied to prepare smart glass displays to hide and convey information by patterning the counterion distribution on the surface based on the different antifogging properties between superphydrophobic and superhydrophilic surfaces.