Robust Superhydrophobic Brass Mesh with Electrodeposited Hydroxyapatite Coating for Versatile Applications

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Surface Chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Superhydrophobic surfaces offer unique properties like self-cleaning and anti-corrosion.
• Developing cost-effective and robust superhydrophobic materials is crucial for various applications.
• Traditional methods for determining critical micelle concentration (CMC) can be complex.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate a robust superhydrophobic brass mesh.
• To investigate its anti-corrosion and anti-scaling capabilities.
• To explore its application in determining the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of surfactants.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of brass mesh using hydroxyapatite coatings via electro-deposition and fluoroalkylsilane treatment.
• Characterization using field-emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).
• Evaluation of wetting behavior, anti-corrosion, anti-scaling properties, and droplet dynamics for CMC determination.

Main Results:

• The fabricated brass mesh exhibited superhydrophobicity with excellent anti-corrosion (η = 91.2%) and anti-scaling properties.
• Droplet rebounding heights and contact angles (CAs) were measured for varying concentrations of tetradecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (TTAB).
• CMC values determined using droplet rebound height (1.91 mM) and CAs (2.32 mM) showed good agreement with the theoretical value (2.1 mM).

Conclusions:

• A robust superhydrophobic brass mesh was successfully fabricated with enhanced functional properties.
• The study demonstrates a novel application of superhydrophobic surfaces for an alternative CMC determination method.
• The maximum droplet rebounding height method offers a promising approach for CMC determination of surfactants.