Complementary approaches for enhancing polystyrene hydrophobicity : additives development and replication of micro/nanotexture
Résumé
This work aims at developing polymer surfaces with enhanced hydrophobic behaviour by controlling both the
surface chemistry and the surface structure. The chemical modification is given via the elaboration of polymers
blends by incorporation of own-synthetized tailored fluorinated additives (FA) in commercial polystyrene and the
physical approach is based on micro/nano-structuration of polymers surface. Different films containing various
content of fluorine based on commercial polystyrene (PS) and FA were elaborated by solvent casting method. The
nano-structuration of polymers surface was replicated from a Nickel insert using hot embossing technique with
optimized processing conditions including, polymer/mold interfaces, micro/nano-textures, temperature and
pressure. The impact of FA on both the wettability properties and the replication efficiency was evaluated, by
water/polymer static contact angle and quantification of replication rate, respectively. It was evidenced that the use
of this tailored additive, even at low percentages, associated with the structuration of the PS surface improves
significantly the hydrophobicity of polystyrene and the robustness of the replication process.