Chemically stable and mechanically durable superamphiphobic aluminum surface with a micro/nanoscale binary structure

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Surface Chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Developing superamphiphobic surfaces is crucial for advanced material applications.
• Aluminum surfaces often require enhanced properties for durability and repellency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a simple, cost-effective method for fabricating a superamphiphobic aluminum surface.
• To evaluate the chemical stability and mechanical durability of the fabricated surface.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication involved creating microplateau and nanoplatelet structures on aluminum.
• Fluorination treatment was applied to achieve low surface energy.
• Chemical stability was tested against corrosive liquids, hot liquids, and solvents.
• Mechanical durability was assessed through scratching, ultrasonication, abrasion, and tape peeling tests.

Main Results:

• The fabricated aluminum surface exhibited superamphiphobicity, repelling liquids with surface tensions from 25.3 to 72.1 mN m(-1).
• The surface demonstrated excellent chemical stability against acids, bases, and high temperatures.
• Exceptional mechanical durability was confirmed through rigorous testing, including abrasion under 500 g force.
• The superamphiphobic surface also showed superior corrosion resistance.

Conclusions:

• A simple, cost-effective method successfully produced a chemically stable and mechanically robust superamphiphobic aluminum surface.
• The developed surface possesses properties suitable for demanding outdoor applications.
• This research offers a promising pathway for advanced functional material development.