Resumen
Hydrophobic characteristics are widely used in the development of new materials, especially to be applied to the surface coating of materials. This involves amplification of the light exposure on the hydrophobic surface for energy-efficient buildings and photovoltaic energy harvesting systems. The paper discusses the role super-hydrophobic nature of light dispersion falling on the water droplet of the taro leaf surface. Camera and video modes were used to get infrared ray images shot at the water droplet, in dark and bright spaces, with variations in the angle of rays incidence and the volume of droplet. The result shows that the waxy layer surface of the taro leaf has the main structure of alkanes/alkyne with active phenol and aldehydes groups, that peak in 2,648/cm. These active groups bind the atoms (free) of the leaf surface when the leaf surface is in normal conditions. The presence of water bubbles on the surface of the taro leaf causes air to be trapped in the cavity of the lump, forms a silvery layer, resulting in chemical reactions with Mg and K atoms, and dehydrogenation of hydrocarbons. These reactions form metal oxides and hydrogen gas. When the bubble is hit by light, the dispersion tends to strengthen at the light angle greater than 40°, due to the silvery coating of magnesium and potassium oxides and the activity of hydrogen gas, that lead to stronger surface tension and the electron mobility and strengthening water molecules bonds. The activities of these products accelerate atomic movement that amplifies the light energy into white light. This study is expected to be a consideration for the new hydrophobic materials design. Applications for surface coating that can amplify light irradiated on the super-hydrophobic surface are promising for energy-efficient buildings and photovoltaic energy harvesting.