Method of preparation of new super-hydrophobic membranes and membranes obtained by said method

A method for preparing a super-hydrophobic membrane comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a metal mesh;
• b) cleaning the metal mesh by immersion in an organic solvent;
• c) subjecting the metal mesh cleaned in step b) to a surface modification treatment to increase its hydrophilicity, wherein said surface modification treatment comprises an electrochemical anodizing process in an aqueous NaOH solution, and wherein the metal mesh is then subjected to a treatment step with a suspension of nanoparticulated oxides comprising SiO2;
• d) coating the metal mesh treated in step c) with a hydrophobic organic substance, wherein the metal mesh is coated by immersion in a solution of a hydrophobic silylated reagent, and wherein the hydrophobic organic substance is the hydrophobic silylated reagent;
• e) drying the metal mesh treated in step d) in order to obtain the super-hydrophobic membrane,
• wherein surface modification treatment with a suspension of nanoparticulated oxides comprising SiO2 of step c) multiplies the number of hydroxyl groups capable of reacting with the hydrophobic silylated reagent in step d), and
• wherein the super-hydrophobic membrane obtained has a contact angle of 162°.