The preparation and characterization of lubricant-infused silicone rubber surface based on laser-splicing-scan microstructure

Abstract

Slippery surface, as the most cutting-edge function surface, has aroused the extensive attention ascribed to excellent hydrophobicity and self-cleaning property. Micro/nanostructure (functional carrier) and lubricant fluid (functional layer) collectively constitute slippery bi-phase surface. To our best knowledge, we firstly validate the preparation feasibility of lubricant-infused silicone rubber surface (LISRS) based on nanosecond laser splicing scan. Comprehensive characterizations demonstrate that laser splicing traces will break the uniformity of microstructures resulting in droplet pinning. However, the lubricant infusion can significantly endow the whole microstructure surfaces with droplet depinning effect, which directly improves the process compatibility of the laser splicing machining. The capillary infiltration and unstable loss of the lubricant on the microstructure surfaces not only confirm the stable lubricant layer of LISRS conformal with microstructures, but also reveal capillary stabilization mechanism of microgroove structures under gravity environment. Then, after being subjected to comprehensive stability tests (including mechanical abrasion, water droplet and jet impacts), the water droplet sliding behaviors of impacted surfaces show that the lubricant-infused microstructure surface has a certain degree of resistance to external impacts. These results show that it is extremely feasible to create large-scale LISRS using a laser splicing scan. With the rapid development of laser micro/nanofabrication, it is promising to break through the tough issue of large-scale and high-efficiency preparation of slippery silicone rubber surfaces, and bring slippery surfaces to the practical applications of anti-corrosion, anti-fouling and anti-icing materials or products.