Hydrogen-terminated silicon surface with oxygen

The surface of silicon can be hydrophilic or hydrophobic depending on the surface condition. It has been reported that a hydrophilic surface is characterized by OH groups and a hydrophobic surface is covered with Si-H, Si-CH , or Si-F groups. Thus, a hydrogen-terminated surface is hydrophobic whereas an oxide- or hydroxide-covered surface, which tends to be terminated by OH, is, in general, hydrophilic. A surface covered with a substantial amount of carbon bonded to oxygen is hydrophobic. 

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