Fabrication of superhydrophobic surface with corrosion resistance via cyclic chemical etching process on aluminum substrate
Shuwei Lv, Xinming Zhang, Xiaodong Yang, Xianli Liu, Zhuojuan Yang, Ying Zhai
Abstract
Abstract Aluminum (Al) is a metal material commonly used in industry, but its surface is easily corroded. The superhydrophobic surface has great self-cleaning and anti-corrosion properties, and it is an ideal method to construct a functional aluminum surface. Here, a simple method based on cyclic chemical etching was proposed to achieve the superhydrophobic Al surface with honeycomb structures. The surface of the sample etched eight times comprised micro/nano-scale honeycomb cavities, while exhibiting a water contact angle (WCA) of 135°. After being treated with an octadecanethiol (C 18 H 38 S) methanol solution, this sample demonstrated a WCA of 153.1°. A self-cleaning test was performed on the superhydrophobic Al surface, showing the excellent self-cleaning property. Finally, the electrochemical anti-corrosion test demonstrated that the above-mentioned superhydrophobic Al surface had great corrosion resistance property. Overall, this work has enriched the theory and technology for fabricating aluminum to achieve superhydrophobic.