In the field of materials science, creating a surface that truly "sticks to nothing" has long been the holy grail for both industry and academia. From anti-fouling ship hulls to self-cleaning microfluidic chips, the demand for low surface energy materials is becoming increasingly urgent. Recently, a research team led by Wu Hongxing from Northwestern Polytechnical University published groundbreaking results in the top journal Progress in Organic Coatings. Through molecular structure innovation, they successfully prepared a Fluorosilicone Rubber (FVMQ) coating with ultra-low surface adhesion, whose anti-adhesion performance even surpasses that of the traditional "king of non-stick," Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). For a long time, Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) has been widely used due to its low surface energy, but it still struggles when facing highly adhesive substances. Taking a different approach, Wu Hongxing's team utilized a hydrosilylation reaction to introduce trifluoropropyl groups onto the silicone rubber backbone. This unique molecular design not only retains the flexibility of silicone rubber but also constructs a dense "chemical barrier" using the high electronegativity of fluorine atoms. Experimental data shows that the surface adhesion of this new fluorosilicone rubber coating is only 1.8nN, representing a reduction of approximately 75% compared to traditional PDMS materials. Even more astonishing is that in standardized peel tests, its peel force is a staggering 92% lower than that of PTFE. This means that whether it is industrial glue, biological tissue, or ice and snow in freezing environments, nothing can effectively adhere to the material's surface. This breakthrough opens new doors for material applications in extreme environments. In the aerospace sector, it can be used to prevent ice formation on aircraft wings; in the medical field, it can effectively prevent biofouling from accumulating on implanted devices. Currently, the team is collaborating with relevant enterprises to explore the commercial application of this "super non-stick" material in high-end manufacturing.
IOTA FLSR3435 room temperature curing liquid fluorosilicone rubber