Durable lubricant-infused coating on a magnesium alloy substrate with anti-biofouling and anti-corrosion properties and excellent thermally assisted healing ability

Abstract

Inspired by lotus leaves, superhydrophobic surfaces (SHS) have been fabricated by many methods due to their various properties such as self-cleaning, anti-corrosion, and anti-biofouling properties. In recent years, inspired by Nepenthes pitcher plants, the ‘slippery liquid-infused porous surface’ (SLIPS) has attracted numerous researchers’ attention because it not only shows ability corresponding to SHS but also exhibits durability in some aspects due to the continuous and homogeneous liquid-infused surfaces. In this paper, we firstly used a facile hydrothermal method and modification to fabricate SHS on a Mg alloy substrate. After the infusion of a lubricant by a spin-coating method, the transformation from the SHS to SLIPS can be achieved. The SLIPS exhibits an excellent self-cleaning property compared to the SHS, except that the water droplet rolls on the SHS and slides on the SLIPS. Moreover, the SLIPS demonstrates better anti-corrosion and anti-biofouling properties, and is obviously superior to SHS for use on the Mg alloy substrate. The enhanced anti-corrosion and anti-biofouling properties of the SLIPS are because the continuously infused lubricant replaces the air trapped in the micro-pores. Importantly, compared with SHS, the SLIPS shows excellent thermally assisted healing properties. The results of this work indicate that the SLIPS is expected to be an efficient method for improving the water-repellent, self-cleaning, anti-biofouling and anti-corrosion properties of magnesium alloys.