Durable self-cleaning superhydrophobic composite coatings based on fluorine-modified organic polysilazane and SiO2 particles prepared by facile spraying technique

Superhydrophobicity endows various substrates with astonishing multifunctional properties and has received widespread praise in industrial production. However, the fragile connection between the coating and the substrate not only limits the service life of superhydrophobic coatings, but also poses limitations. To address this issue, this study used 3-(perfluorooctyl) propanol and organic polysilazane (OPSZ) with universal anchoring properties as starting materials to obtain fluorine modified OPSZ through a one-step synthesis method, and then doped SiO₂ micro nano particles to produce superhydrophobic coatings that can be widely applied to various substrates. Investigating the relationship between the hydrophobic properties of the coatings and the amounts of SiO₂ microparticles and nanoparticles used to create the microscopic rough structure of the superhydrophobic coatings, it was discovered that the hydrophobic properties of the coatings tended to increase as the number of nanoparticles increased. The water contact angle of prepared coatings was still over 157° after 48 h of UV exposure or 180 days of exposure to air. The heat resistance of the created superhydrophobic coatings was tested in a muffle furnace at 400 °C for 2 h. The results revealed that the coatings maintained their water contact angle of 155.1°±3.01° and water sliding angle of 6.4°±1.98°, demonstrating their excellent heat resistance and suitability for use in a variety of high-temperature environments. The work provided a practical way for creating superhydrophobic composite coatings with excellent mechanical stability, acid and alkali corrosion resistance, and heat resistance, and had potential application in antifouling and anti-corrosion.