Intellectual Property Office

Non-Confidential Disclosures

“Superhydrophobic Surfaces from Nanostructured Thin Films”

PSU Inv. Disc. No 3346
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Keywords

Nanotechnology - Biocompatible, Hydrophobic, Hydrophilic, Polymer, Thin Films

Inventors:

Melik Demirel

Links:

Inventor Website

Background:

A material with large surface area at the nanoscale will often have interesting physical and chemical properties. One oft-desired property is hydrophobicity, where the material repels water on its surface. Existing methods for industrial-scale fabrication of hydrophobic surfaces are both costly and complex.

Invention description:

The disclosed invention entails the formation of superhydrophobic surfaces from nanostructured, polymeric sculpted thin films (STF's) of controllable porosity. The films comprise slanted, parallel nanowires fabricated from a vapor of monomers approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The hydrophobicity of a film may be tailored by altering its surface chemistry, roughness, or thickness. In some cases, the film may even be tailored to form hydrophilic droplets with high contact angles.

Advantages:

• Coating resistant to corrosion, friction, moisture
• Comprised of FDA-approved polymer
• Capacitor dielectrics, insulators
  

Contact:

Richard M. Weyer
Sr. Technology Licensing Officer
Intellectual Property Office
113 Technology Center
The Pennsylvania State Univ.
University Park, PA 16802-7000
Phone: (814) 865-6279
Fax: (814) 865-3591
E-mail:rmw4@psu.edu