Hydrophobic material
AssigneeUnisearch Limited
InventorsAshley Jones, Robert Norman Lamb, Hua Zhang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method is provided for forming a modified gel capable of forming a hydrophobic surface on which water has a contact angle of at least 150°. Additionally, a method is provided for forming a hydrophobic coating from the modified gel. In some embodiments, the hydrophobic coating has an extremely high hydrophobicity with a contact angle in excess of 165°, and good substrate adhesion. The method involves bonding a gel with particulate matter. It is believed that the chemical hydrophobicity of the gel is enhanced by the physical roughness of the particulate matter.
Claims40
A method of forming a material for application to a surface, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing gel precursors;
- (b) reacting the precursors together to form a gel;
- (c) adding a particulate material to the gel to form a mixture, the particulate material being capable of chemically bonding with the gel;
- and
- (d) chemically treating the mixture such that a modified gel is formed in which the particulate material is bound to the gel, wherein the modified gel is chemically hydrophobic and has a surface roughness that physically enhances the surface hydrophobicity, such that water has a contact angle on the surface of at least 150°.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.