Hydrophilic modification of polytetrafluoroethylene particles and corrosion resistance of electroplated composite coatings

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) exhibits extremely low surface energy, resulting in poor dispersion stability in plating solutions. In this study, a polydopamine (PDA) film was fabricated on the surface of PTFE particles through dopamine (DA) modification. The hydrophilic functional groups (e.g., amino and hydroxyl) in the PDA enabled the stable dispersion of PTFE in the plating solution. Furthermore, the catechol groups in PDA formed complexes with metal ions, facilitating the preparation of a composite coating via electroplating. This approach not only increased the particle content in the coating but also significantly improved the corrosion resistance of the aluminum alloy.