Abstract
The fabrication of functional hierarchical structures on surfaces by laser ablation produces interesting material properties and has attracted considerable research interest. This work addresses the use of laser micro- and nano-machining for the fabrication of modified painted surfaces with controlled wettability. We have identified and optimised surfaces and femtosecond laser conditions to produce hierarchical micro- and nano-scale structures which create effective superhydrophobic painted surfaces for a set of common industrial paints. Roll-off angles as low as 5° were produced, with the ability to remove dirt-like particles down to 50 μm average size. We show how the complex chemical composition of paints plays a crucial role in determining the wettability and self-cleaning properties of painted surfaces following ablation. This work demonstrates the feasibility of this technique, which could be applied to exposed painted industrial surfaces.
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