Investigation of the chemical structure of fluorinated diazonium salts on the electrografting behavior and thin film properties†

Many industrial and commercial applications require hydrophobic or super oleophobic surfaces. Fluorinated compounds provide surfaces with excellent hydrophobicity, but for environmental reasons, it is crucial to minimize their use. In this context, the electrografting of fluorinated diazonium salts enables the deposition of very thin films. This work investigates the impact of the chemical structure (different position or/and chain length) of these diazonium salts on the growth of the resulting film. Ultimately, the main objective is to understand the grafting mechanism in order to precisely achieve the desired properties. This study demonstrates that the chemical structure of diazonium salts greatly influences the film growth process, and, consequently its physical characteristics, such as compactness and hydrophobicity.