Self-Responsive Plastron Maintenance on a Superhydrophobic Mesh via Locally Integrated Electrolysis

Underwater superhydrophobic surfaces can retain an interfacial gas layer (known as plastron), enabling functions such as drag reduction and antifouling. However, the plastron suffers from inevitable instability under hydrostatic pressure and flow-induced shear. Current electrolysis-based replenishment strategies are often hindered by complex electrode configurations, gas leakage, and a lack of autonomous feedback. Herein, we present a self-responsive superhydrophobic mesh with locally integrated electrodes (SHM-E) to achieve intelligent plastron maintenance. By coupling a compact local Pt anode (occupying only 1/16 of the functional surface area) with the capillary-driven gas spreading of the mesh, the system realizes an autonomous "damage-repair-dormancy" cycle. This configuration enables rapid plastron restoration (<60 s) and sustains near-perfect coverage for over 16 days with minimal power consumption (static current <1 mA), significantly outperforming non-electrolysis controls. Consequently, the stabilized plastron effectively isolates the substrate, reducing scale deposition by 93.8% compared to stainless steel. Overall, this study demonstrates an unattended, low-power, self-responsive plastron repair strategy that simplifies electrolysis-based gas replenishment, providing a practical route toward durable underwater functional surfaces.