Robust Photo-responsive Superwetting Surfaces on Hierarchical-structured Copper Mesh <italic style="font-style: italic">via</italic> Dip-coating with Mussel-inspired Azo-copolymer

Bo-Lun Feng; Cong-Cong Zhai; De-Bin Zhang; Hao-Chen Guo; Hou-Li Zhang; Lin Zhang; Hui Li; Lu Wang; Lan Lei; Chuan-Yong Zong

doi:10.1007/s10118-025-3355-1

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Robust Photo-responsive Superwetting Surfaces on Hierarchical-structured Copper Mesh via Dip-coating with Mussel-inspired Azo-copolymer

RESEARCH ARTICLE | Updated：2025-07-15

- Robust Photo-responsive Superwetting Surfaces on Hierarchical-structured Copper Mesh via Dip-coating with Mussel-inspired Azo-copolymer
- Chinese Journal of Polymer Science Vol. 43, Issue 7, Pages: 1134-1145(2025)
- Affiliations：
  
  a.School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fluorine Chemistry and Chemical Materials, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, China
  b.Shandong Institute of Non-Metallic Materials, Jinan 250031, China
  c.School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Author bio：
  
  chm_wangl@ujn.edu.cn (L.W.)
  chm_zongcy@ujn.edu.cn (C.Y.Z.)
- Funds：
- DOI：10.1007/s10118-025-3355-1
  CLC：
- Received：24 February 2025，
  
  Revised：2025-04-04，
  
  Accepted：09 April 2025，
  
  Online First：04 June 2025，
  
  Published：01 July 2025
- Accepted：
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Feng, B. L.; Zhai, C. C.; Zhang, D. B.; Guo, H. C.; Zhang, H. L.; Zhang, L.; Li, H.; Wang, L.; Lei, L.; Zong, C. Y. Robust photo-responsive superwetting surfaces on hierarchical-structured copper mesh via dip-coating with mussel-inspired azo-copolymer. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2025, 43, 1134–1145

Bo-Lun Feng, Cong-Cong Zhai, De-Bin Zhang, et al. Robust Photo-responsive Superwetting Surfaces on Hierarchical-structured Copper Mesh via Dip-coating with Mussel-inspired Azo-copolymer[J]. Chinese Journal of Polymer Science, 2025, 43(7): 1134-1145. DOI: 10.1007/s10118-025-3355-1.
Feng, B. L.; Zhai, C. C.; Zhang, D. B.; Guo, H. C.; Zhang, H. L.; Zhang, L.; Li, H.; Wang, L.; Lei, L.; Zong, C. Y. Robust photo-responsive superwetting surfaces on hierarchical-structured copper mesh via dip-coating with mussel-inspired azo-copolymer. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2025, 43, 1134–1145 DOI： 10.1007/s10118-025-3355-1.

Bo-Lun Feng, Cong-Cong Zhai, De-Bin Zhang, et al. Robust Photo-responsive Superwetting Surfaces on Hierarchical-structured Copper Mesh via Dip-coating with Mussel-inspired Azo-copolymer[J]. Chinese Journal of Polymer Science, 2025, 43(7): 1134-1145. DOI: 10.1007/s10118-025-3355-1. DOI：

摘要

Mussel-inspired azo-copolymers were synthesized and utilized to fabricate robust photo-responsive superwetting surfaces on hierarchical-structured copper mesh. The smart surfaces exhibited rapid reversible wettability transitions between high hydrophobicity and superhydrophilicity

demonstrating excellent chemical robustness and mechanical durability

which could lead to widespread potential applications in microfluidics and functional coatings.

Abstract

Endowing stimuli-responsive materials with micro-nano structures is an intriguing strategy for the fabrication of superwetting surfaces; however

its application is limited by poor chemical/mechanical stability. Herein

a simple and versatile strategy was developed to fabricate durable polymeric superwetting surfaces with photoswitchable wettability on hierarchically structured metallic substrates. Inspired by nature

a novel functional terpolymer incorporating mussel-inspired catechol groups

photoresponsive azobenzene groups

and low-surface-energy fluorine-containing groups was synthesized

via

solution radical polymerization. The azobenzene-containing terpolymer possesses outstanding photoresponsiveness in both the solution and film states because of the

trans-cis

isomerization of the azobenzene moieties. After dip-coating with the musse

l-inspired azo-copolymer

the as-prepared smart surfaces exhibited a photo-triggered change in wettability between high hydrophobicity and superhydrophilicity. More importantly

these superwetting surfaces with enhanced adhesion properties can tolerate harsh environmental conditions and repeated abrasion tests

thereby demonstrating excellent chemical robustness and mechanical durability. This study paves a new avenue for the convenient and large-scale fabrication of robust smart surfaces that could find widespread potential applications in microfluidic devices

water treatment

and functional coatings.

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Keywords

references

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⁰

Robust Photo-responsive Superwetting Surfaces on Hierarchical-structured Copper Mesh via Dip-coating with Mussel-inspired Azo-copolymer

DOI：10.1007/s10118-025-3355-1

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