Bionic sustainable superhydrophobic coating featuring high durability, antifouling, and anticorrosion properties

Abstract

Bionic microstructured surfaces, especially superhydrophobic surfaces, have been widely used in antifouling and anticorrosion. However, all microstructured surfaces face the common problem of poor durability, which limits the development of bionic microstructures. While the microstructures of plants and animals are also fragile, they are able to maintain their integrity through biological processes such as metabolism. Inspired by biological metabolism, this paper proposes a novel approach to constructing microstructured surfaces. By utilizing the differences in wear resistance between different materials in the coating, microstructures are continuously generated on the surface during friction, allowing for the continuous renewal of the microstructure during wear, ensuring the integrity of the surface microstructure and function. The coating formed by the combination of different materials not only achieves sustainable microstructure but also combines the superhydrophobicity of lotus leaves, the anti-adhesive properties of shark skin, and the “brick-and-mortar” structure of nacre, which effectively enhance the antifouling and anticorrosion performance of the coating. Based on this concept, an EP-PE superhydrophobic coating was developed using epoxy resin and polyethylene, exhibiting high mechanical properties as well as effective antifouling and anticorrosion capabilities. More importantly, the sustainable superhydrophobic coating can maintain the integrity of microstructure similar to living organism, which truly achieves the sustainability of the surface microstructure.