Fabrication of functional superhydrophobic engineering materials via an extremely rapid and simple route

Abstract

As important and irreplaceable engineering materials, metals are widely used in our daily life. Therefore, fabricating superhydrophobic surfaces on metal materials is of great significance, and applicable methods for industrial production are in urgent need. In this work, we provide a rapid and easy route for fabricating superhydrophobic films on metal materials through simple displacement deposition. This method includes two simple steps with each step being as short as one second. The obtained superhydrophobic surfaces are homogeneous and easy to repair. A miniature boat and a miniature box were used to test the buoyancy-increasing and oil absorption properties, respectively. This method is feasible for massive production of superhydrophobic metal materials applied to water transportation and oil spill clean-up areas.