Fabricating Bionic Ultraslippery Surface on Titanium Alloys with Excellent Fouling-Resistant Performance

Becauseof the high strength-to-weight ratio and excellent corrosion resistance, titanium alloys are widely applied in marine industries. However, titanium alloys suffer from serious biofouling problems for their good biocompatibility. Slippery lubricant-infused porous surface (SLIPS) exerts a positive effect on inhibiting the attachment of marine microorganism. In this work, SLIPS was fabricated on TC4 (Ti-6Al-4V) alloys through anodic oxidation, 1H,1H,2H,2H,-perfluorooctyltriethoxysilane (POTS) modification and polyperfluoromethyl isopropyl ether (PFPE) infusion to improve the antifouling property of TC4 alloys. The antifouling effect of all coatings was investigated and compared to obtain the antifouling mechanism of SLIPS through recording the settlement of E. coli and Navicula exigua. The results showed that three different kinds of nanostructures were fabricated on TC4 alloys by anodic oxidation. The nanotubes with the largest internal volumes were conducive to storing more lubricant and firmly holding the lubricant for a long time. The SLIPS could effectively suppress the attachment of E. coli and Navicula exigua on account of the ultraslippery behavior of lubricant layer. In particular, the SLIPS-30 V fabricated by the largest nanotubes displayed a long-term anti-adhesion behavior. Besides, the SLIPS could improve the corrosion resistance of TC4 alloys. Hence, such SLIPS with excellent fouling-resistant and anti-corrosion performance could be applied to titanium alloys or other alloys to expand their application in the marine area.