Preparation of durable superhydrophobic composite surface

Abstract

Surface durability deficit is the most serious challenge confronting superhydrophobic surfaces. The creation of durable superhydrophobic surfaces is therefore of significant importance. In this study, we etched the surface of 1060 aluminum alloy coated with polydimethylsiloxane and nano-fumed silica (PDMS&NF-SiO2) using an infrared nanosecond laser to yield a durable superhydrophobic hybrid surface (SHS). We characterized the composite surface’s static water contact angle (WCA), water roll-off angle (WSA), morphology, and composition using a contact angle meter, scanning electron microscope (SEM), three-dimensional profilometer, energy-dispersive spectrometer (EDS), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). We also conducted tests for the mechanical durability and thermal stability of the SHS surface using tape peeling, steel wool friction wear, blade scraping, sand impact, and heat treatment. Results indicated that the WCA and WSA of the SHS surface were 158.1° and 6.2°, respectively. The SHS surface maintained its superhydrophobic properties after withstanding at least 150 tape peeling tests, 100 steel wool friction wear tests, 50 blade scraping tests, and a 450 g sand impact test, demonstrating exceptional mechanical durability. The surface WCA and WSA of the SHS after a 30-hour heat treatment at 100 ℃−300 ℃ were 157.4° and 7.6°, respectively, demonstrating good thermal stability. We believe that this study's design and fabrication of superhydrophobic composite surfaces offer new insights for the preparation of wear-resistant and high-temperature resistant superhydrophobic surfaces.