University of Massachusetts MRSEC, DMR 0213695

1. Perfectly Hydrophobic Materials Thomas P. Russell, University of Massachusetts Amherst, DMR 0213695 Hundreds of person-years have been spent during this decade to prepare that exhibit high water contact angles. Thomas McCarthy at the University of Massachusetts Materials Research Science and Engineering Center recently reported contact angle studies of compressed samples of a commercially available lubricant (variable diameter submicron particles of tetrafluoroethylene oligomers - OTFE) that indicate that this surface is perfectly hydrophobic (qA/qR = 180°/180°). They also reported XPS spectra, a SEM micrograph and 19F NMR characterization data, as it is a material for which no characterization data are available. These samples exhibit the most general lyophobicity of any material reported, showing nearly 180° contact angles with other liquids. That this material is commercially available (in kilogram quantities) will allow other groups, particularly non-synthetic ones, to prepare and study perfectly hydrophobic surfaces University of Massachusetts MRSEC, DMR 0213695