Super-robust superhydrophobic concrete

Steel reinforced concrete is often used in buildings, roads and bridges, however, freeze-thaw damage and steel corrosion pose threats to the strength of concrete. Furthermore, ice formation on concrete road-surfaces greatly increases injury and fatality rates. Superhydrophobic materials are promising candidates to alleviate these problems due to their anti-corrosion and anti-icing properties. However, the weak mechanical robustness of superhydrophobic surfaces makes them difficult to apply to concrete surfaces. Here we report a facile route to fabricate superhydrophobic concrete (S-concrete) via metal mesh covering and fluoroalkylsilane modification. Comparative robustness tests, including sandpaper abrasion, knife scratch and hammer beat, were performed on commercial superhydrophobic paint + adhesive coatings and our S-concrete, which indicated that our S-concrete had far superior surface mechanical durability. To illustrate the practical prospects, we performed further tests on the S-concrete, including artificial cold rain, freeze-thaw, and corrosion under applied voltage in corrosive solution. The S-concrete showed remarkable anti-icing, anti-freeze-thaw, and anti-corrosion properties, and mechanical robustness.