Figure 2

Fabrication and characterization of superhydrophilic nanohair hydrogel coatings. (a) Schematic view of the fabrication process of nanohair hydrogel coatings by using the replica molding method. (b) Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) images of nanohair hydrogel coatings from a side view and a top view (insert). (c) Photographs of water contact angles showing the wettability of the two hydrogel coatings, that is, superhydrophilicity for nanohair hydrogel coatings (top) and hydrophilicity for flat hydrogel coatings (bottom). SEM images of mineral crystal adhesion on (d) nanohair and (e) flat hydrogel coatings after incubation in a flowing mineral solution (for example, CaOx) for 24 h. The insets show the quantification of mineral crystals adhered on these hydrogel coatings, indicating that the nanohair coatings exhibit highly efficient anti-adhesion against mineral crystals compared to flat coatings. Error bars: standard deviation (n=3).