Eco-friendly and facile fabrication of superhydrophobic aluminum alloy

Synthetic superhydrophobic surfaces have drawn significant interest owing to their water-resistant and self-cleaning applications. However, most of the fabrication practices involve complex processes that are unsustainable to withstand large-scale fabrication to transform into standard industrial practice. The desired durability of these surfaces is another crucial challenge that makes the translation of these products difficult. In this paper, we reported the fabrication of superhydrophobic aluminum alloy with a simpler, low-cost, and eco-friendly technique using the hydrothermal treatment. Subsequently, the surface energy of the processed substrate was modulated using a chemical vapor deposition technique. The developed surface shows an extreme water repellency with a contact angle above 160 degrees and a very low contact angle hysteresis and rolling angle (<5 degrees). Surface morphological characterizations showed the formation of nanoscale hierarchical structures which resulted in a stable Cassie state due to the effective entrapment of air and exhibiting self-cleaning ability. The developed surface showed extreme wetting resilience during exposure to a droplet impingement with an impinging velocity of >2 m/s. Further, these superhydrophobic surfaces were exposed to atmospheric weather conditions to check their robustness. During a rain simulator testing, a developed surface showed low contact angle hysteresis (<10 degrees) after enduring multiple cycles. The processed surface also showed significant de-wetting behavior during condensation experiments and chemical resistance under prolonged exposure. Weathering tests performed under outdoor conditions showed an insignificant influence on the de-wettability of the processed sample. The present study highlights the fabrication of superhydrophobic durable metallic surfaces through a facile and green fabrication route for multifunctional applications.

Automated summary

Synthetic superhydrophobic surfaces are of great interest for their water-resistant and self-cleaning properties. This paper presents a simpler, low-cost, and eco-friendly technique for fabricating superhydrophobic aluminum alloy surfaces, with extreme water repellency and self-cleaning ability achieved through surface energy modulation and nanoscale hierarchical structures. The developed surfaces showed resilience to wetting and weathering, making them suitable for multifunctional applications.