Tuning surface wettability through supramolecular interactions

A dual-stimuli-responsive surface with tunable wettability, switching between hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity, and responsivity to both temperature (T) and concentration of beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD), is reported. Such surfaces are obtained by simply fabricating a poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide-co-adamantanyl acrylamide) P(NIPAAm-co-ADAAm) copolymer thin film on both a flat and an etched silicon substrate. Switching between hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity can be realized over both a temperature range of about 20 degrees C and over a relatively wide concentration of beta-CD range from 0 M to 1 x 10(-1) M.