Development of Multifunctional CoAl Based Layered Double Hydroxide Protective Film on Aluminum Alloy

A protective CoAl-layered double hydroxide (LDH) thin film was developed directly on the aluminum substrate. Further, the low-surface-energy molecules (1H, 1H, 2H, 2H perfluorododecyl trichlorosilane) were incorporated inside the LDH network through an anion exchange mechanism to obtain a superhydrophobic CoAl-LDH surface. The developed films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and additional contact angle measurements were made to evaluate the superhydrophobicity of modified CoAl-LDHs against different solutions. The water contact angle (WCA) of the modified CoAl-LDH surface was observed to be about 153° and remained sufficiently stable after long-term immersion in NaCl solution. The effect of excessive ultrasonication on film structural variations and superhydrophobicity was also analyzed for outdoor applications. The high charge transfer resistance observed from the analysis of long-term electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) indicates the significant corrosion-resistance properties of the developed CoAl-LDHs. This research on protective CoAl-LDHs will bring insights into the understanding of new aspects of surface protection and implementation in many engineering applications.