Synthesis of Hierarchical Superhydrophilic/Superhydrophobic Nanostructured Surfaces for Oil/Water Separation

Abstract Surface wetting, the phenomenon where a liquid spreads or adheres to a solid surface, plays a crucial role in both natural and technological fields. This study focuses on elucidating the relationship between surface properties and wetting behavior, emphasizing the significance of hierarchical structures. A 3D hierarchical structure is created by controlling shape and size through electroplating and chemical reactions, adjusted by current intensity, ammonium persulfate, and ammonium hydroxide concentrations. This modification is achieved by modifying the surface's chemical properties. This control directly impacted the surface wetting properties, providing a means to regulate wetting behavior by altering surface structure. Through control of surface chemistry, a superhydrophilic surface is able to successfully create with a contact angle of 0° and a superhydrophobic surface with a contact angle of 171.3.