A research team from the Institute of Oceanology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences developed an organic–inorganic hybrid superamphiphobic coating with integrated functionalities of liquid repellency, self-cleaning, anti-corrosion, and anti-icing.
Corrosion and failure of metal materials has been a problem that researchers and engineers are eager to solve. Inspired by the lotus effect, biomimetic superhydrophobic materials with typical non-wetting properties at the interface have shown great potential in the field of corrosion protection.
Although the anti-corrosion function of superhydrophobic materials has been confirmed by researchers at home and abroad, there are still many unresolved challenges in the process of transitioning from the laboratory to practical applications.
According to the researchers of the study published in the Journal of Materials Science & Technology, the developed coating exhibits both superhydrophobic and superoleophobic properties and shows excellent repellency to low surface tension liquids such as water, glycerol, ethylene glycol, and peanut oil, with sliding angles all less than 7°.
The corrosion resistance of the coatings was extensively evaluated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, Tafel polarization, salt spray testing, and outdoor atmospheric exposure, respectively. The results showed that the charge transfer resistance and low-frequency modulus of the coating increased by 7–8 orders of magnitude, enduring 480 hours of neutral salt spray and 2,400 hours of atmospheric exposure, demonstrating significant long-term anti-corrosion potential.
In addition to significantly improved corrosion resistance, the coatings also demonstrated their functional integration capabilities in self-cleaning, delayed icing, lossless liquid transport, and substrate applicability.
The uniform dispersion of functionalized Al2O3 nanoparticles in the coatings provides important assurance for the ultimate realization of the coatings’ multifunctional integration properties.
Image – The superamphiphobic, corrosion resistance, delayed icing, and long-term real-world anti-corrosion performance. Courtesy of: Zhang Binbin.
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Chinese Academy of Sciences
