Carbon nanotubes noncovalently functionalized by an organic-inorganic hybrid: new building blocks for constructing superhydrophobic conductive coatings.

A facile method for constructing superhydrophobic, conductive, and transparent/translucent coatings is presented. Pristine multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) are first noncovalently (wrapped) modified by an organic-inorganic hybrid of an amphiphilic copolymer of styrene and maleic anhydride and silica with the existence of gamma-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (a silane coupling agent). The modified MWNTs were mixed with tetraethyl orthosilicate in ethanol, air sprayed, coated with a fluoroalkylsilane, and then heat treated to obtain the superhydrophobic, conductive, and transparent/translucent coatings. Scanning electron microscopy shows that the coatings have a micrometer- and nanometer-scale hierarchical structure similar to that of lotus leaves; therefore, they show both high water contact angles (>160 degrees) and low sliding angles (<2 degrees). The coatings also exhibit good transmittance and greatly improved conductivities. This method is convenient, inexpensive, and easy to scale up. Moreover, it does not require any chemical modification of the MWNTs or use any harsh chemicals.