Abstract:

Microscale V-shaped impact pits are formed on copper surfaces after sandblasting. After surface oxidation, the whole copper surface is uniformly and completely covered by petal-like CuO nanosheets. Micro-and nanoscale structures are fabricated by a combination of sandblasting and surface oxidation, which leads to a high water contact angle of 161° and an ultra-low water roll angle of 1° for the surface after fluorination. Water condensation is difficult at low temperatures as heat transfer between the surface and water droplets is greatly reduced on these surfaces. This is thought to be the main reason for the improvement in ice resistance of the superhydrophobic copper surface. Superhydrophobic copper surfaces with excellent anti-icing performance can be widely used in many fields such as in heat exchange and in products operating at low temperatures. Such a facile technique is expected to be a feasible method for the industrial fabrication of superhydrophobic surfaces on other engineering materials.

Key words: Superhydrophobicity, Copper, Low adhesion, Anti-icing, Contact angle