Fabrication of superhydrophobic silicone rubber operating in water

A periodic microswelling structure on silicone rubber fabricated through 193 nm ArF excimer laser-induced photodissociation was coated with a 50-nm-thick, textured Al thin film to realize the superhydrophobicity of approximately 165° of contact angle of water. The textured Al thin film was obtained automatically during vacuum evaporation only on the silicone rubber, compared with a silica glass or silicone resin substrate. As a result, a large air gap layer was formed between the Al-coated silicone and water; an electric field of 5 V/mm could be applied to the surface of the Al-coated silicone even in 3 wt % NaCl aqueous solution.