Superhydrophobic surface by SiO2 particle modified SiO2-Ni/a-C:H film deposition and superior corrosion protection

Abstract

A superhydrophobic surface was constructed by a simple method of one-step electrochemical deposition in which methanol was used as carbon source and SiO2 nanoparticles/nickel were used as dopant. Carbon-based films doped with SiO2 nanoparticles and nickel (SiO2-Ni/a-C:H films) were fabricated for comparison experiments at various SiO2 nanoparticle concentrations. It was turned out that the maximum contact angle of SiO2-Ni/a C:H film with SiO2 nanoparticle concentration of 0.006 mg ml−1 (sample-3 film) is 162.4 degrees, and the minimum sliding angle is 1.2 degrees, showing excellent superhydrophobicity. Furthermore, dynamic potential polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements indicated that the superhydrophobic film exhibited excellent anti-corrosion performance. It is very important for the industrial manufacture of corrosion-resistant superhydrophobic films and has broad prospects for expanding the application of carbon-based films.