723g Preparation of Superhydrophobic Pvdf Membranes by Electrospinning of Fluorine-Silane Functionalized Pvdf

Yingbo Chen, Qifeng Liu, and Hern Kim. Department of Environmental Engineering and Biotechnology, Myongji University, San 38-2 Nam-dong Cheoin-gu, Yongin, Kyonggi-do, 449-728, South Korea

Superhydrophobic surface can be obtained by either lowering the surface energy of the chemical composition through introduction of low surface energy groups or increasing the toughness of the surface through formation of hierarchical structures. Fluorine-silane functionalized PVDF is synthesized by graft polymerization of 3-trimethoxylpropyl methylacrylate from PVDF and followed with coupling of fluorine silanes. Flat membrane prepared using this fuctionalized PVDF has a water contact angle of 140o. Superhydrophobic PVDF membrane with a contact angle larger than 150o is prepared by electrospinning of the fluorine-silane functionalized PVDF and collecting on a stainless steel plate. The morphologies of the membranes are characterized using scanning electron microscopy. The surface composition of the membranes is analyzed using FTIR and water drops on the surface of the membrane are observed using a microscopy.