Fabrication of robust and stable superhydrophobic surface by a convenient, low-cost and efficient laser marking approach

Abstract A superhydrophobic surface with self-cleaning has been developed in the large scale on aluminum alloy through a facile laser marking approach. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses and surface contact angle measurement are employed to investigate the morphologies, chemical compositions and wettability of the fabricated surface of aluminum alloy. The results indicate that the fabricated surface with irregular protrusions show excellent superhydrophobicity. The contact angle can be as high as 155.1°. Furthermore, the surface exhibits great anticorrosion and chemical stability. More importantly, it can still maintain great superhydrophobicity after mechanical abrasion, showing superior abrasion resistance and mechanical stability. The fabricated superhydrophobic surface will further extend the applications of Al alloy in engineering. Moreover, this laser marking treatment offers an effective and satisfying with engineering applications approach to fabricate surface with superhydrophobicity on metallic materials.