Hydrophilic to near-hydrophobic transition by the joining of nickel oxide nanorods on 5 keV nitrogen ion irradiation

In this work, we have investigated the surface alteration of nickel oxide nanorods produced by low-energy (5 keV) nitrogen ions. Spin coating was used to deposit the nickel oxide nanorods on the silicon substrate. 1 × 1016 ions per cm2 fluence was used to irradiate the thin films of nickel oxide nanorods. At this ion fluence, the nanorods tend to join with each other. To learn more about these surface modifications, we have looked into the structural and morphological characteristics of both the original and irradiated surface. Also, the wetting properties of as deposited and irradiated samples of nickel oxide nanorods are investigated. While the surface of the as-deposited sample is hydrophilic, the irradiated surface alters into near-hydrophobic. We anticipate that such modified surfaces can aid in the fabrication of corrosion-resistant devices.