Fig. 1

Fabrication via sublimation-directed vapor deposition. a Schematic illustration of the deposition/sublimation process used to construct micro- and nanosized porous particles. b Optical micrograph showing water droplets on a superhydrophobic surface, scale bar: 50 μm; a 152° water contact angle is shown in the top inset. c Cryo-SEM micrograph showing the ice particles (templates) created from the water droplets, scale bar: 50 μm. d SEM micrograph showing the polychloro-para-xylylene particles produced via vapor deposition on the ice particle templates, scale bar: 50 μm. The porous structure with pore size 532.3 ± 89.3 nm formed within the polychloro-para-xylylene particle, as indicated in the top inset (scale bar: 5 μm). e A mass spectrum recorded during the sublimation/deposition process showing the signals for the sublimated water molecule (18 amu), chloride ion (36 amu), p-quinodimethane (104 amu), and chloro-p-quinodimethane (139 amu)