Novel Self-Healing Superhydrophobic Coating with Oil-Water Separation and Anti-Icing Properties

A self-healing superhydrophobic coating was successfully prepared in the present work. The coating comprised PEG (polyethylene glycol) and Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles modified with stearic acid (SA) via hydrogen bonds, using polyamide resin and epoxy as binders. The chemically damaged surface could restore its original superhydrophobic structure and chemical composition after 4 h at room temperature or 10 min of heating in an oven with a self-healing efficiency of 95.5% and 96.1%, respectively. The hydrogen bonds between SA-OH and Fe₃O₄-OH nanoparticles enabled the repeatable and efficient self-healing properties of the superhydrophobic coating. The coating exhibited remarkable chemical resistance, maintaining superhydrophobicity even after 48 h of immersion in strong acidic and alkaline solutions. Additionally, the prepared fabric showed excellent mechanical stability after 2400 mm of abrasion and 125 cycles of tape peeling with a WCA above 150°. Furthermore, the coated fabric was effective for oil/water separation and anti-icing. With these powerful functions, the proposed superhydrophobic coating holds promising applications in both daily life and industry.