Preparation of a superhydrophobic TiN/PTFE composite film toward self-cleaning and corrosion protection applications

A titanium nitride-polytetrafluoroethylene (TiN-PTFE) composite film was developed on Q235 steel surface to achieve the superhydrophobic property. The morphology and wettability of TiN-PTFE films were regulated by changing the deposition thickness during electron beam deposition, resulting in the optimized hydrophobicity with a water contact angle of similar to 157.8 degrees and a sliding angle down to similar to 3.6 degrees. The superhydrophobic TiN-PTFE film could easily clean the surface contaminations by water dropping, given the excellent self-cleaning performance. Electrochemical measurement results showed that the TiN-PTFE surface could efficiently strengthen the corrosion resistance of carbon steel in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution through the protective barrier and the air cushion trapped inside the coating. Besides, the superhydrophobic film exhibited good chemical stability in acid and alkaline solutions as well as remarkable mechanical durability against abrasion. This work offers an efficient and cost-effective strategy for the large-scale fabrication of superhydrophobic films. It is expected that the superhydrophobic TiN-PTFE film has promising prospects for self-cleaning and corrosion protection applications. Graphic abstract

Automated summary

A superhydrophobic TiN-PTFE film was developed on Q235 steel surface, with optimized hydrophobicity and self-cleaning performance, enhancing the corrosion resistance of carbon steel while showing good chemical stability and mechanical durability in acid and alkaline solutions.