Slippery Liquid-Immobilized Coating Films Using in Situ Oxidation-Reduction Reactions of Metal Ions in Polyelectrolyte Films

We fabricated slippery liquid-immobilized coating (SLIC) films by reacting a slippery liquid (polymethylhydrosiloxane) near the surface of a polyelectrolyte film containing silver ions prepared by the layer-by-layer method. The obtained films maintained their slipperiness after chemical and physical treatments, in contrast to slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces. The high chemical and physical stabilities of the films were attributable to gelation and immobilization of the lubricant owing to an oxidation-reduction reaction with subsequent dehydration condensation of Si-OH on the outer surface of the polyelectrolyte film and the bonding of Si-H with NH₂ groups within the polyelectrolyte film, respectively. Moreover, the SLIC films exhibited a high degree of slipperiness with respect to low-surface-tension liquids. To the best of our knowledge, this technique of lubricant immobilization using silver ions has not been reported previously. The films should be suitable for use in various applications where contamination must be prevented under extreme conditions, such as those requiring high physical durability and organic solvent use.