Surface and wetting characteristics of textured bisphenol‐A based polycarbonate surfaces: Acetone‐induced crystallization texturing methods |
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Authors: | Ahmed Owais Mazen M Khaled Bekir S Yilbas Numan Abu‐Dheir Kripa K Varanasi Kamal Y Toumi |
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Affiliation: | 1. Renewable Energy Science and Engineering Department, Faculty of Postgraduate Studies for Advanced Sciences (PSAS), Beni‐Suef University, Beni‐Suef, Egypt;2. Chemistry Department, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia;3. Mechanical Engineering Department, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia;4. Mechanical Engineering Department, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts |
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Abstract: | Polycarbonate (PC) sheet is a promising material for facile patterning to induce hydrophobic self‐cleaning and dust repelling properties for photovoltaic panels’ protection. An investigation to texture PC sheet surfaces to develop a self‐cleaning structure using solvent induced‐crystallization is carried out using acetone. Acetone is applied in both liquid and vapor states to generate a hierarchically structured surface that would improve its contacts angle and therefore improve hydrophobicity. The surface texture is investigated and characterized using atomic force microscopy, contact angle technique (Goniometer), optical microscopy, ultraviolet‐visible spectroscopy (UV–vis) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The findings revealed that the liquid acetone‐induced crystallization of PC surface leads to a hierarchal and hydrophobic surface with an average contact angle of 135° and average transmittance <2%. However, the acetone vapor induced‐crystallization results in a slightly hydrophilic hierarchal textured surface with high transmittance; in which case, average contact angle of 89° and average transmittance of 69% are achieved. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43074. |
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Keywords: | crystallization hydrophobicity polycarbonate sheet solar cells surface texturing |
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