Chemistry Letters, Vol.41, No.7, 735-737, 2012
Repeatable Wettability Conversion between Hydrophobic and Superhydrophilic States on Nonwoven Fabrics Based on Electrospun TiO2-Poly(dimethylsiloxane) Fibers
Nonwoven fabrics based on composite fibers of TiO2 and poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) are prepared by electrospinning. Nonwoven fabrics based on TiO2-PDMS fibers are initially hydrophobic and undergo rapid wettability conversion to a superhydrophilic state upon plasma irradiation. Hydrophobicity is rapidly recovered under ambient conditions. This wettability conversion can be repeated by subsequent cycles of plasma irradiation and storage under ambient conditions.