Facile laser-based process of superwetting zirconia ceramic with adjustable adhesion for self-cleaning and lossless droplet transfer

Abstract

Zirconia ceramics can be extensively used as biological implant materials because of its excellent mechanical properties and biocompatibility. In order to further enhance the biocompatibility of zirconia ceramics and its application in oral medicine, a nanosecond laser-silicone oil-heat treatment (LSH) composite process was designed to fabricate superhydrophobic zirconia ceramic surfaces with adjustable adhesion to water droplet. The surface topography, chemical composition and wettability of zirconia ceramic surfaces were characterized. The experimental results indicated that the wettability and adhesion of water droplets on zirconia ceramic surfaces were significantly affected by the surface morphology and density of surface micro/nanostructures. The relative content of chemical elements and polar/non-polar functional groups on the surfaces could be changed as the process parameters changed, which would also affect the transition of surface wettability. Meanwhile, the adhesion of water droplets on the zirconia ceramic surfaces could be precisely regulated by changing the laser texturing parameters. Droplet lossless transport and self-cleaning effect were demonstrated, which could provide a key avenue for the application of superhydrophobic zirconia ceramics in biological implants.