Transferrable Electrospinning Nanofiber Meshes as Strongly Adhered Scaffolds for Slippery Liquid-Infused Porous Surfaces

Abstract

Slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces (SLIPS) are self-healing protective coatings that can be made by infiltration of a porous scaffold with a chemically resistant oil. A popular method to apply a SLIPS coating is using electrospinning to deposit a nanofiber mesh onto the intended substrate. However, electrospinning only lightly deposits the nanofibers onto the intended substrate, so the coating detaches easily even when unintended. We report a simple, yet effective, solution to the adhesion problem. Electrospun nanofiber meshes are typically well entangled and cohesive, so they can be detached from the electrospinning target and transferred onto the final target. Using a thin layer of adhesive on the intended surface, the electrospinning mesh can be securely attached and infiltrated with protective oil to yield a more stable SLIPS coating. An adhered coating can be submerged under corrosive solution and repeatedly self-heal from damage to the same spot. With the electrospun nanofiber meshes’ flexibility and stretchability, the meshes can be fitted around a wide range of targets including ones that are otherwise difficult to apply a nanofiber mesh on. The use of an adhesive interlayer between the nanofiber mesh and substrate is a simple solution to improve coating stability, and the solution facilitates application of SLIPS onto a broader range of substrates.