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Updated: Dec 24, 2025
Fabrication of Superhydrophobic Metal Surfaces for Anti-Icing Applications
Published on: August 15, 2018
A facile, fast, and low-cost method for fabrication of micro/nano-textured superhydrophobic surfaces
Amir R Esmaeili1, Noshin Mir1, Reza Mohammadi1
1Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA.
Hypothesis:
Alkyl ketene dimer (AKD) is frequently used in paper industry as an inexpensive sizing agent. The formation of a porous structure after curing the solidified AKD for an extra-long time (4-6 days) results in superhydrophobicity. In this study, a facile and low-cost method was utilized to turn the surface of AKD superhydrophobic in a very short period of time.
Experiments:
We fabricated superhydrophobic coatings by dipping glass and paper substrates in molten AKD and then treating them with ethanol after solidification. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Confocal laser scanning microscopy, and dynamic contact angle goniometry.
Findings:
The results show that briefly treating the coatings, obtained from isothermally heated AKD melt at 40 °C for 3 min, with ethanol leads to superhydrophobicity with advancing and receding contact angles of 158.7 ± 1.4° and 156.8 ± 0.9°, respectively. By increasing the melt temperature to 70 °C and its heating time to 6 h followed by ethanol treatment, the advancing and receding contact angles increased to 163.7 ± 1.3° and 162.6 ± 1.2°, respectively. This enhancement in superhydrophobicity is due to the formation of porous, entangled irregular micro/nano textures that create air cushions on the surface resulting in droplet state transition from Wenzel to Cassie.
