A superhydrophobic TiO 2 /TMPSi (trimethoxy(propyl)silane) composite coating was deposited on AISI 316L stainless steel using a two-step process: 1) Electrophoretic deposition (EPD) of TiO 2 nanoparticles (P25) from a colloidal suspension of TiO 2 in acetylacetone with the addition of iodine. 2) Dip coating using different concentrations of TMPSi in aqueous ethanol solution. Wettability of the surface was determined by WCA and SA measurements. The WCA and SA of the optimum sample (1.5 vol.% TMPSi) were equal to 160.1°and 3.7°respectively. Surface morphology was investigated by FESEM and nano/micro roughness on the surface was observed and the hydrophobicity can subsequently be related to this roughness. Furthermore, the surface cracks were eliminated by swiped applied potential in the EPD process (from 5 V to 30 V) and drying under controlled temperature. The crack elimination process due to the decrease in surface roughness led to decrease in WCA and SA (i.e. WCA=150°, SA=5.6°).
Pure nickel and Ni-TiO 2 composite coatings were deposited on the copper substrate using Watts bath containing different contents of TiO 2 nanoparticles by the electrochemical deposition method, and the morphological alterations and hydrophobicity of coatings were studied. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) images proved that composite coatings exhibited a rougher structure than pure nickel coating. The results of the roughness measurement performed by AFM confirmed this fact. The water contact angles (WCA) of pure nickel and the composite coatings were obtained as 62.7°and 91.6-121.7°, respectively. After surface chemical modification using the different concentrations of TMPSi, WCA of pure Ni and optimized composite coatings (Ni-27.5 g.L −1 ) were increased to 102.1°and 140.3°, respectively.
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