Durable, self-cleaning and anti-fouling superhydrophobic coating based on double epoxy layer
Xiang Li, Hua Liu, Yingbin Zhang, Liu Zuo-zhen
Abstract
Abstract The practical application of superhydrophobic coatings has been greatly restricted due to the complicated preparation and fragile hierarchical structures on the surface. In this study, we prepared a robust superhydrophobic coating with a double-layer structure via a low-cost and facile method, adhering the non-wettability layer composed of silica nanoparticles and fluorine-modified epoxy resin to a binder resin layer on aluminum. The fluorine-modified epoxy resin with low surface energy can fix the silica nanoparticles after curing and cross-link with the adhesive layer. When the SiO 2 content in the surface layer is 40%, the water contact angle (WCA) of the coating is 162°, and the sliding angle (SA) is 2°. In the mechanical performance test, the durable coating can remain superhydrophobic even after 260 cycles of friction or 160 cycles of tape peeling. In addition, the superhydrophobic coating with self-cleaning and anti-fouling properties also has the performance of acid-base solution resistance. Hence, the combination of the rough layer and the adhesive layer makes the practical application of artificial superhydrophobic coatings possible.