Fluorinated Polyhedral

The wetting of surfaces by water often leads to corrosion and degradation. Data provided by the military services indicate that corrosion is the number one cost driver in lifecycle costs. The total cost incurred by the DoD for corrosion related issues has been estimated to be as high as $20 billion per year. The wetting of materials by hydrocarbons in automotive and aerospace applications often leads to decreased performance, shorter life-span, and increased cost. Fluorinated polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (F-POSS) compounds have been created and examined to potentially help address these issues. Displaying water contact angles higher than that of PTFE, Fluorodecyl POSS is believed to possess the lowest surface energy of any known solid. The combination of this low surface energy with surface roughness and curvature, similar to that of the Lotus leaf, can lead to the creation of superoleophobic materials. The properties of these materials, as well as their polymer composites, will be discussed.