Robust superhydrophilic coatings by electropolymerization of sulfonated pyrrole

Superhydrophilic coatings were prepared by electropolymerization of sufonated pyrrole from aqueous solutions. The monomer was prepared in one step from commercially available reagents. Electropolymerized polymer films exhibited significant surface roughness and porosity as evidenced by scanning electron microscopy analysis. Advancing water contact angles of the pristine coatings were as low as 12°, while receding angles were 0°for almost all samples. Soaking the films in hot water resulted in decrease in the advanced contact angles to as low as 0°. The produced coatings retained their extreme wetting characteristics even when treated in harsh environments, such as dry heat for a week.