Surface innovation for fabrication of superhydrophobic sand grains with improved water holding capacity for various environmental applications

The extreme evaporative loss of water from topsoil complicates cultivation in arid areas, and artificial plastic mulches that imitate sand may minimize such losses. However, the application is limited by their high cost non-biodegradability. In this study, we developed superhydrophobic grains to reduce soil. Sea (SS) was coated with silica sol, which prepared hydrolysis tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) under alkaline conditions, followed treatment perfluorodecyltrichlorosilane (FDTS). A facile step optimized for fabricating hydrophobic contact angle 151° rolling-off 9.5° confirm hydrophobicity anti-droplet properties modified grains. sands engineered nanomaterials have shown enhanced holding storage efficiency, they can be applied as an oil sorbent scaffold absorb (chloroform) selectively due repelling properties. displayed self-cleaning features, withheld extended periods time, could benefit agriculture regions various environmental applications. • been chemically modified. Hydrophobic coating imparted sol Perfluorodecyltrichlorosilane (FDTS) solution. Modified demonstrate significant features. Anti-droplet are applicable minimizing regions.