Transferrable superhydrophobic TiO₂ nanorods on reduced graphene oxide films using block copolymer templates

Superhydrophobic surfaces are normally fixed on the chosen materials. Here, we report transferrable superhydrophobicity which was enabled by fabricating TiO₂ nanorods on a reduced graphene oxide (rGO) film. Superhydrophobic TiO₂ nanorods were first synthesized from a nanoporous template of block copolymers (BCPs). The controllability over the dimension and shape of nanopores of the BCP template allowed for the adjustment of TiO₂ nanostructures for superhydrophobicity. Since the rGO film provided effective transferring, TiO₂ nanorods were conveyed onto a flexible polymer film and a metal substrate. Thus, the surface of the designated substrate was successfully changed to a superhydrophobic surface without alteration of its inherent characteristics. (paper)