# US 2009/0260702 A1 · Method for fabricating solid body having superhydrophobic surface structure and superhydrophobic tube using the same method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2009/0260702 A1 - Document ID: US20090260702A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/442,321 - Filed: 2007-09-19 - Published: 2009-10-22 - Earliest claimed: 2006-09-21 - Assignees: Postech Academy-Industry Foundation - Inventors: Dong-Hyun Kim; Sang-Min Lee; Il-Sin Bae; Dong-Seob Kim; Duk-Hyun Choi; Chang-Woo Lee; Ji-Hoon Jeon; Seong-Ho Son; Tae-Chul Moon; Woon-Bong Hwang; Joon-Won Kim; Hyun-Chul Park; Kun-Hong Lee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20090260702A1 ## CPC - B29C 33/52: soluble or fusible {(in particular used in injection moulding B29C45/4457)} - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) ## Abstract The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a solid body having a superhydrophobic surface structure formed by using a surface treatment of a metal body, a replication process, and a polymer sticking phenomenon to increase efficiency of fluid transfer and prevent foreign materials from being accumulated in the tube, and a superhydrophobic fluid transfer tube using the method. The superhydrophobic fluid transfer tube includes a fluid guider and a solid body provided on a fluid contact surface of the fluid guider and has micrometer-scaled unevenness and nanometer-scaled protrusions. In the method, a plurality of nanometer-scaled holes are formed on a surface of a metal body through an anodizing process, a replica is formed by immersing the metal body provided with the nanometer-scaled holes in a non-wetting polymer material and solidifying the non-wetting polymer material, the solid body having the superhydrophobic surface is formed by removing the metal body and an anode oxide from the replica, and the solid body is provided to a fluid contact surface of a fluid guider for guiding a fluid. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A superhydrophobic fluid transfer tube having a superhydrophobic surface structure, the superhydrophobic fluid transfer tube comprising: a fluid guider for guiding a fluid; and a solid body that is provided on a fluid contact surface of the fluid guider and has micrometer-scaled unevenness and protrusions having nanometer-scaled diameters. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The superhydrophobic fluid transfer tube of claim 1, wherein the solid body comprises: a base provided on a fluid contact surface of the fluid guider; and a surface structure having micrometer-scaled unevenness formed by a plurality of bunches formed by a plurality of adjacent protrusions that are formed on the base and have a nanometer-scaled diameter. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The superhydrophobic fluid transfer tube of claim 2, wherein the micrometer-scaled unevenness are formed by the adjacent protrusions that are partly stuck to each other. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The superhydrophobic fluid transfer tube of claim 1, wherein the solid body comprises: a base that is formed on a fluid contact surface of the fluid guider and has micrometer-scaled protrusions and depressions on at least a part of the surface; and a superhydrophobic surface structure including a plurality of protrusions that respectively have a nanometer-scaled diameter and are provided along the micrometer-scaled protrusions and depressions of the base. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2, 4) The superhydrophobic fluid transfer tube of claim 2 or claim 4, wherein the protrusions respectively having the nanometer-scaled diameter are formed of a non-wetting polymer material. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The superhydrophobic fluid transfer tube of claim 5, wherein the non-wetting polymer material is selected from the group consisting of polytetrahluorethylene (PTFE), fluorinated ethylene propylene copolymer (FEP), perfluoroalkoxy (PFA), and a combination thereof. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The superhydrophobic fluid transfer tube of claim 1, wherein the fluid guider is formed as a tube for guiding a fluid. ### Claim 8 A method for manufacturing a solid body having a superhydrophobic surface structure, the method comprising: forming a plurality of nanometer-scaled holes on a surface of a metal body through an anodizing process; forming a replica by immersing the metal body provided with the nanometer-scaled holes in a non-wetting polymer material and solidifying the non-wetting polymer material; forming the solid body having the superhydrophobic surface by removing the metal body and an anode oxide from the replica; and providing the solid body to a fluid contact surface of a fluid guider for guiding a fluid. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the replica has a plurality of protrusions that are negatively replicated by the non-wetting polymer material filled in the nanometer-scaled holes formed in the metal body. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the protrusions form a plurality of micrometer-scaled bunches as adjacent protrusions are partly stuck to each other. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the non-wetting polymer material is selected from the group consisting of polytetrahluorethylene (PTFE), fluorinated ethylene propylene copolymer (FEP), perfluoroalkoxy (PFA), and a combination thereof. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the solid body has a flexible characteristic to be applied to a curved surface of the fluid guider.