Superhydrophobic carbon fiber surfaces prepared by growth of carbon nanostructures and polydimethylsiloxane coating

We prepared nanostructured carbon fiber surfaces using chemical vapor deposition in which Ni nanoparticles were used as carbon nanostructure growth catalysts. The surface of the nanostructured carbon fiber was covered by a thin polydimethylsiloxane film. This surface showed superhydrophobic behavior with a water contact angle close to 170 A degrees C, and its superhydrophobicity was sustained in a wide pH range (1-13).