A Predictive Design Framework for Ultrarobust Superhydrophobic Coatings Based on Lyophobic Interconnected...

Superhydrophobic (SH) coatings have immense potential across numerous applications but remain limited by inadequate pressure resistance, mechanical durability, and environmental stability. Traditional SH architectures, such as hierarchical micro/nanostructures, fail to address these critical challenges. Here, we introduce a conceptually new structural design principle based on lyophobic interconnected close-packed (LICP) nanostructures, derived from quantitative analyses of the coupled relationships among apparent contact angle, capillary pressure, bending stress, and a newly defined robustness index. This predictive framework reveals an unexplored structural regime where simultaneous nanoscale reduction in feature size and spacing, while maintaining an optimal ratio, yields significant improvements in both pressure resistance and mechanical robustness─an outcome unattainable in conventional SH designs. Guided by this insight, we fabricate SH_LICP coatings that maintain ultrastable Cassie-Baxter states under extreme conditions, including hydrostatic pressures up to 6 MPa, water-jet velocities up to 60.1 m s^-1, 11,000 cycles of Taber abrasion, and remarkable chemical and weather resistance (>3 years), surpassing all previously reported SH systems. Beyond exceptional robustness, the SH_LICP coatings are scalable and amenable to multifunctional integration. This work provides a predictive structure-function design framework that advances both the fundamental understanding and rational engineering of ultrarobust SH surfaces.