Recent development and emerging applications of robust biomimetic superhydrophobic wood

Abstract

The properties of superhydrophobic wood depend heavily on the design of micro roughness and low-surface-energy chemical components via various fabrication strategies. However, the commercial development of these materials is still restricted by imprecise durability results due to the inadequate standard system. Some appealing applications, where water repellency is required, have been explored to extend the functionality of superhydrophobic wood. In this review, the recent progress in preparing superhydrophobic wood, including graft copolymerization, chemical vapor deposition, hydrothermal synthesis, sol–gel methods, template methods, dip coating, and spraying methods, is summarized, emphasizing the comprehensive understanding of the superhydrophobic mechanisms based on roughness and surface energy. The widely applied tests to evaluate the mechanical and chemical durability of superhydrophobic coatings such as sand abrasion resistance tests, tape peel tests, pencil hardness tests, corrosion resistance tests, and UV resistance tests, are introduced. The development of superhydrophobic wood facilitates its emerging applications in anti-icing, oil–water separation, self-healing, and energy storage and conversion. As such, this review provides fundamental guidelines for designing superhydrophobic wood.