Influence of dodecanol on wetting behavior of superhydrophobic surfaces

Digital processing of the optical image of a sessile droplet was used to study the influence of dodecanol vapors and condensate on the wettability of superhydrophobic coatings by water. Two types of coatings with very different morphologies were used to estimate the stability of the superhydrophobic state in the presence of dodecanol at different regimes of interaction of tested superhydrophobic coatings with dodecanol vapors, including preliminary condensation of dodecanol inside the substrate pores/grooves at different temperatures, a short-term contact of dodecanol vapor with the superhydrophobic coating with the preliminary deposited water droplets and, finally, a long-term contact between substrate with deposited water droplets and the vapor phase saturated with dodecanol vapor. The set of experimental data indicate only minor variations of water contact and roll-off angles for all regimes studied. Such wettability behavior evidences good persistence of superhydrophobic state in conditions of contact with long-chain alcohol vapors.