Corrosion resistance and stability of superhydrophobic surfaces with hierarchical micro/nanostructures induced by nanosecond and femtosecond lasers

Abstract

A innovative approach is introduced to enhance the corrosion resistance and stability of the aluminum (Al) substrates. This method involves the integration of nanosecond and femtosecond lasers (ns-fs-lasers) processing with the silanization treatment procedure. Ns-fs-lasers are employed to generate distinct hierarchical periodic micro/nanostructures, resulting in heightened roughness and micro/nanostructures on the Al surfaces in comparison to single laser texturing. Furthermore, the silanization processes effectively lower the surface free energy of the laser-induced samples. In this study, water contact angles (WCA) and roll angles (RA), as well as electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS) and potentiodynamic polarization (PDP) outcomes, reveal that the surfaces induced by ns-fs-lasers exhibit superior superhydrophobicity, corrosion resistance, and corrosion stability compared to surfaces induced by ns-laser alone. Consequently, the combination of ns-fs-lasers induced surfaces and the silanization process presents a promising avenue for augmenting the corrosion resistance and stability of superhydrophobic Al surfaces.