Facial fabrication of superhydrophobic cellulose film with hierarchical morphologies

Hierarchical CuO spheres were firstly grown on the surface of cellulose film, and then stearic acid (STA) was utilized to decrease surface energy. The cupric ions fixed on the cellulose film transferred to one side and reacted with STA forming cupric stearates. The cupric stearates then self-assembled into nanobelts/nanoribbons and spread over the film, which induces to form hierarchical morphologies. Both sides of CuO modified film are black and superhydrophilic in air; after modification with STA, the film becomes superhydrophobic for both sides, whereas one side is blue and the other side is black showing different morphologies. Water contact angles (WCAs) of the superhydrophobic film for both black and blue sides are 153.9 ± 0.6° and 153.5 ± 0.8°, respectively. Sliding angles (SAs) for both sides are lower than 9.5°, indicating non-sticking superhydrophobic state. More importantly, the superhydrophobic cellulose–CuO–STA film is still superhydrophobic under hydrodynamic impact or pH of 3–11.