The Effects of Nano Zinc Oxide Content on the Hydrophobic Properties of Polypropylene and Feasibility of Producing Superhydrophobic Nanocomposite Coatings

In this research, a super hydrophobic coating grade polypropylene (MFI6) with nanoparticles of ZnO was produced on glass by using solution casting technique and the optimal conditions were introduced as well. Solution casting as a simple and inexpensive method does not require any special equipment in order to produce super hydrophobic coatings. Therefore, the effect of two parameters namely, the concentration nanoparticles of ZnO and the drying temperature, on the final properties and performance hydrophobic coatings were investigated. Regarding the studies which have been done on coatings based on the hydrophobicity of the contact angle (CA), it was showed that the hydrophobicity of super hydrophobic coatings behavoirs were exhibited and according to observations of a scanning electron microscope (SEM) devise, a rough and hydrophobic surface was resulted. Thus, the rougher the surface, the higher contact angle is generated, and if this value reaches 150 to 180 °C, the surface would change to a super hydrophobic surface. Increasing the concentration of ZnO nanoparticles to polypropylene has led to more surface roughness. Therefore, the created surface roughness was in micro and nanoscale, while because of an extreme increase in ZnO nanoparticles, the surface roughness was reduced and hydrophobicity was decreased as well due to high accumulation.