Mussel-inspired and O3-assisted superhydrophobic copper surface with good anticorrosion performance

Abstract

This study introduces a mussel-inspired superhydrophobic coating designed to enhance the long-term anticorrosion performance of copper in marine environments. Fluorine-free and fluorine-containing superhydrophobic coatings were developed by O₃-assisted pretreatment, solution polymerization of dopamine, and the Michael addition reaction of dodecyl mercaptan and perfluorooctyl ethyl mercaptan. The ozone pretreatment allows dopamine to form a denser adsorption layer on the copper surface, which improves the long-term stability of the coating. The contact angles of the two coatings are 152.8° and 155.1°, respectively. Both types of superhydrophobic coatings demonstrate good corrosion inhibition performance, particularly the fluorine-containing superhydrophobic coating (99.98%). After 28 days of simulated seawater immersion, the fluorine-containing coating still maintains high corrosion inhibition efficiency (97.02%) and good hydrophobic characteristics (140.7°), which highlight its excellent long-term seawater corrosion resistance and stability. This study provides guidelines for designing durable superhydrophobic coatings.