Spider-web-like fiber toward highly oleophobic fluorinated materials with low bioaccumulative potential

Original fluorinated (F-butyl, F-hexyl and F-octyl) EDOT derivatives containing thioester connectors are synthesized and used as monomers for the elaboration of liquid-repellent surfaces by electrodeposition. Their surface morphology varies as a function of the fluorinated chain length, due to the increase in the insolubility of the oligomers formed in the first instances. Superhydrophobic surfaces are obtained with F-octyl and F-hexyl chains but only the surfaces produced from the monomer containing F-butyl chains are highly oleophobic. These high contact angles can be explained by their surface morphology (spider-web-like structure) which favors the "pinning effect". This works allows the decrease in the bioaccumulative potential of fluorinated materials with an increase in their oil-repellent properties. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.