A mechanically robust slippery coating for anti-corrosion, Photothermal deicing, and anti-sticking applications

Abstract

The preparation of slippery coatings suitable for various environments with good mechanical strength and stability is challenging. Here, we used polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), epoxy resin (EP), and polydopamine/reduced graphene oxide (PDA/rGO) to prepare mechanically robust slippery coatings with stable water-repellency. Monoglycidyl ether-terminated polydimethylsiloxane and diglycidyl ether-terminated polydimethylsiloxane were covalently grafted into the EP crosslinked skeleton and enriched on the coating surface to form a dense PDMS brushes layer. Since PDMS brushes with high fluidity and low surface energy were firmly grafted onto the EP network, the prepared coating exhibited a sliding angle to water droplets as low as 4° and showed very low sliding angles for different aqueous liquids. The addition of PDA/rGO enhanced the strength of the crosslinked EP network, providing more grafting sites for the PDMS brushes, and effectively reducing phase separation. The wear resistance and corrosion resistance of the coating were also dramatically improved, and the average friction coefficient was only 0.044 during a 5-h tribological test. Furthermore, the slippery coating displayed outstanding photothermal deicing and anti-sticking performances. With its multifunctionality and scalability, the EP/PDMS/rGO coating is promising for practical applications in the field of hydrophobic materials.