An anti-icing copper-based superhydrophobic layer prepared by one-step electrodeposition in both cathode and anode

Abstract

The superhydrophobic layers were prepared simultaneously on the copper-based cathode and anode surface by one-step electrodeposition. During the electrodeposition process, the reactions on the surfaces of copper-based cathode/anode electrodes were different, therefore different superhydrophobic layers were formed on cathode/anode surface. The wettability, surface morphology and chemical composition were characterized by contact angle measurement, scanning electron microscopy, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The formation mechanism and anti-icing performance of the superhydrophobic layers were explored. Superhydrophobic Cu[CH3(CH2)16COO]2 films with dendritic micro/nano hierarchical structure and superhydrophobic Cu2O-stearic acid films with cubic crystal-like micro/nano hierarchical structure were prepared on the surface of the anode and cathodic copper electrode respectively. When the deposition voltage was 4 V and the deposition time was 30 min, the static contact angle reached a maximum of 151.3° on the anode surface and 154° on the cathode surface. Both superhydrophobic films can effectively slow down the icing time. The icing delay effect of the superhydrophobic film on the cathode copper is better, and the delay time was up to 221 s, compared to the original copper surface.