Facile and fast fabrication of superhydrophobic surface on magnesium alloy

• Published in: Applied surface science 2013-04, Vol.271, p.182-192
• Main Authors: Wang, Zhongwei, Li, Qing, She, Zuxin, Chen, Funan, Li, Longqin, Zhang, Xiaoxu, Zhang, Peng
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Corrosion; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Delay-icing; Etching; Exact sciences and technology; Magnesium alloy; Physics; Self-cleaning; Superhydrophobic
• ISSN: 0169-4332; 1873-5584
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2013.01.158

A facile and fast method for fabricating superhydrophobic surface on AZ91D magnesium alloy is reported. [Display omitted] ► A facile and fast method for fabricating superhydrophobic surface on AZ91D magnesium alloy is reported. ► The method could use the high and inhomogeneous magnesium alloy surface activity to gain a rough structures. ► The as-prepared superhydrophobic surface has effective anti-corrosion effect, delay-icing effect and self-cleaning effect. ► The presented method is low-cost, environmental-friendly and has great potential value in large-scale industry production. Superhydrophobic surface has many special functions and is widely investigated by researchers. Magnesium alloy is one of the lightest metal materials among the practice metals. It plays an important role in automobile, airplane and digital product for reducing devices weight. But due to the low standard potential, magnesium alloy has a high chemical activity and easily be corroded. That seriously impedes the application of magnesium alloy. In the process of fabrication a superhydrophobic surface on magnesium alloy, there are two ineluctable problems that must be solved: (1) high chemical activity and (2) the chemical activity is inhomogeneous on surface. In this study, we solved those problems by using the two characters to gain a rough surface on magnesium alloy and obtained a superhydrophobic surface after following modification process. The results show that the as-prepared superhydrophobic surface has obvious anti-corrosion effect in typically corrosive solution and naturally humid air. The delay-icing and self-cleaning effects are also investigated. The presented method is low-cost, fast and has great potential value in large-scale industry production.