Fluoroalkyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane initiated methylmethacrylate polymer to produce hydrophobic coatings by low fluorine content

In order to improve hydrophobic surfaces with low fluorine content, an incomplete fluoroalkyl-capped polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (ap-FPOSS) was synthesized as an initiator and used to initiate methylmethacrylate (MMA) to produce polymer ap-FPOSS-PMMA_100,150,200 by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Compared with fluorine-free ap-POSS-PMMA and PMMA polymers, the films cast from 200 to 470 nm core-shell micelles self-assembled by the obtained ap-FPOSS-PMMA presented higher water contact angles (114°–124°), lower surface energy (9.6–14.9 mN·m⁻¹), lower water absorption (Δf = 270 Hz), and lower viscoelasticity (Δf/ΔD = −1.7 HZ×10⁶), which were attributed to their increased surface roughness and fluorine content. Additionally, ap-FPOSS-PMMA exhibited a much higher thermostability (T_g>120°C, T_d>380°C) and light transmission (>97%) than fluorine-free polymer of ap-POSS-PMMA. The application of ap-FPOSS-PMMA proved that the low fluorine component in ap-FPOSS was able to produce a highly hydrophobic coating on a cotton surface (122°–124°).