Facile fabrication of robust superhydrophobic tapered needles for collection and transportation of underwater bubbles.

The collection and transportation of underwater bubbles has attracted significant attention due to their wide range of applications in the mining, petroleum, and chemical industries. In this study, robust superhydrophobic tapered needles were successfully fabricated by spraying a superhydrophobic coating prepared by an organic-inorganic hybrid method. The prepared tapered needles present excellent surface stability and good superhydrophobicity with a contact angle (CA) of about 156°. The fabricated tapered needles demonstrate excellent performance in collection and transportation of underwater bubbles and the working mechanism was also thoroughly studied. The prepared robust superhydrophobic tapered needles provide a simple, efficient and economical way for collection and transportation of underwater bubbles.