Linear abrasion of a titanium superhydrophobic surface prepared by ultrafast laser microtexturing

Abstract

A novel method of fabricating titanium superhydrophobic surfaces by ultrafast laser irradiation is reported. The ultrafast laser irradiation creates self-organized microstructure superimposed with nano-scale roughness, after which a fluoropolymer coating is applied to lower the surface energy of the textured surface and achieve superhydrophobicity. The focus of this study is to investigate abrasion effects on this mechanically durable superhydrophobic surface. The mechanical durability is analyzed with linear abrasion testing and microscopy imaging. Linear abrasion tests indicate that these surfaces can resist complete microstructure failure up to 200 abrasion cycles and avoid droplet pinning up to ten abrasion cycles at 108.4 kPa applied pressure, which roughly corresponds to moderate to heavy sanding or rubbing in the presence of abrasive particles. The wear mechanisms are also investigated and the primary mechanism for this system is shown to be abrasive wear with fatigue by repeated plowing. Although these results demonstrate an advancement in mechanical durability over the majority of existing superhydrophobic surfaces, it exemplifies the challenge in creating superhydrophobic surfaces with suitable mechanical durability for harsh applications, even when using titanium.