In this study, nanowires/nanowalls were generated on a silicon wafer through a chemical etching method. Octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) was deposited onto the nanowire/nanowall surfaces to alter their hydrophobicity. The hydrophobic characteristics of the surfaces were further modified via a 1.5-μm-thick layer of n-octadecane coating on the OTS-deposited surface. The hydrophobic characteristics ...

We have previously observed that the hydrophobic polyeleclyte poly(2-ethylacryfic aad) solubilizes lipid mnembranes in a pH-dependent manner, and we have explited this phenomenon to prepare lipid vesicles that release their contents in response to pH, light, or glucose (Thomas, J. L., and D. A. Tirrell. Acc. Chem. Res. 25:336-342, 1992.) The physical basis for the interacfion between poly(2-eth...

Synchrotron x-ray reflectivity measurements of the interface between water and methyl-terminated octadecylsilane monolayers with stable contact angle >100 degrees conclusively show a depletion layer, whether or not the water is degassed. The thickness is of order one water molecule: 2-4 Angstrom with electron density <40% that of bulk water. Considerations of coherent and incoherent averaging o...

Nonpolar phase synthesized hydrophobic nanocrystals show attractive properties and have demonstrated prominent potential in biomedical applications. However, the preparation of biocompatible nanocrystals is made difficult by the presence of hydrophobic surfactant stabilizer on their surfaces. To address this limitation, we have developed a facile, high efficiency, single-phase and low-cost meth...

The free surface of water and the interface between water and a hydrophobic surface both have positive interface energies. The water density near a free surface drops below the bulk density, and thus it is expected that water near a hydrophobic surface will also show a density depletion. However, efforts by multiple groups to detect and characterize the predicted gap at water-hydrophobic interf...

Condensed liquid behavior on hydrophobic micro/nano-structured surfaces is a subject with multiple practical applications, but remains poorly understood. In particular, the loss of superhydrophobicity of hydrophobic micro/nanostructures during condensation, even when the same surface shows water-repellant characteristics when exposed to air, requires intensive investigation to improve and apply...

Is there a low-density region ("gap") between water and a hydrophobic surface? Previous x-ray and neutron reflectivity results have been inconsistent because the effect (if any) is subresolution for the surfaces studied. We have used x-ray reflectivity to probe the interface between water and more hydrophobic smooth surfaces. The depleted region width increases with contact angle and becomes la...

The impact of an extensive, uniform and hydrophobic protein surface on the behavior of the surrounding solvent is investigated. In particular, focus is placed on the possible enhancement of the structure of water at the interface, one model for the hydrophobic effect. Solvent residence times and radial distribution functions are analyzed around three types of atomic sites (methyl, polar, and po...

Diminishing surface wettability is an effective method to improve corrosion resistance of aluminum. Various techniques for preparing hydrophobic surface have been reported, most of which use organic coating as the final step. The key point to diminish surface wettability is to form a fine regular surface structure, and the porous type anodic oxide film (PAOF) has nano-pore structure, therefore ...