Durable superhydrophobic PVDF/FEVE/GO@TiO2 composite coating with excellent anti-scaling and UV resistance properties

Biomimetic superhydrophobic surfaces with excellent self-cleaning, antifouling and anticorrosion properties often suffer from mechanical damage and stop functioning when exposed to corrosive solutions or UV light in practical applications. In this study, a robust superhydrophobic PVDF/FEVE/GO@TiO2 composite coating with a high water contact angle of 158 +/- 1.6 degrees and low sliding angle of 6 +/- 0.5 degrees has been successfully fabricated via the combination of hydrothermal synthesis and spraying techniques. The GO@TiO2 composite particles were synthesized by in-situ growth of TiO2 on the GO surface through chemical condensation with the active sites of GO under hydrothermal conditions. Owing to the interfacial enhancement of GO@TiO2 and the adhesion enhancement of FEVE, the prepared superhydrophobic coating demonstrated excellent mechanical durability and retained its superhydrophobicity after 1000 abrasion cycles. Moreover, due to the orientation of lamellar GO, TiO2 was evenly distributed on the coating surface to construct uniform micro-/nanostructures, which can capture stable air film to prevent the permeation of H+, Cl-, OH- from water and simultaneously absorb more UV irradiation. Thus, the prepared coating demonstrated outstanding chemical stability under strong acidic and alkaline conditions for 7 days and after exposure to UV radiation (300 W) for 20 days. Furthermore, under the cooperative effect of the air film and hierarchical structures, the prepared superhydrophobic coating can inhibit the nucleation of CaCO3 scale and induce the formation of unstable needle-like CaCO3 on the coating surface. Therefore, it is anticipated that this durable superhydrophobic coating will be an excellent candidate for technological applications, such as anti-scaling, antifouling, and self-cleaning materials.

Automated summary

A robust superhydrophobic PVDF/FEVE/GO@TiO2 composite coating with high water contact angle and low sliding angle was successfully fabricated, showing excellent mechanical durability and chemical stability. The coating can maintain stability under strong acidic and alkaline conditions and inhibit the formation of CaCO3 scale.