Deposition of Super-Hydrophobic Silver Film on Copper Substrate and Evaluation of Its Corrosion Properties

Abstract

A simple and versatile chemical solution deposition process is reported to manipulate the wettability properties of copper sheets. The whole process has the advantage of being time-saving low cost and environment-friendly. An adherent silver coating was achieved under optimal conditions. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction were used to examine the silver film structure. A confocal microscope was used to record the 3D topography and assess the film roughness of the surface. A dual morphology was revealed, consisting of broad regions with feather-like structured morphologies and some areas with spherical morphologies. Such silver-coated copper samples exhibited a sufficiently stable coating with superhydrophobicity, having a maximum water contact angle of 152°, along with an oleophilic nature. The corrosion behavior of the produced hydrophobic copper under optimal conditions was evaluated by means of potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) using a 3.5% NaCl solution. The corrosion protection mechanism was elucidated by the proposed equivalent circuits, indicating that the superhydrophobic silver coating acted as an effective barrier, separating the Cu substrate from the corrosive solution. The superhydrophobic coating demonstrated enhanced anti-corrosion properties against NaCl aqueous solution in relation to the copper substrate as indicated from both EIS and potentiodynamic polarization experiments.

Preparation and Characterization of Stable Superhydrophobic Copper Foams Suitable for Treatment of Oily Wastewater

“…Immersion time in the process stages plays a vital role in foams' modification. Surfaces' micro-roughness and energy reduction are determining factors for developing hydrophobic coatings on metal foams and they are directly linked to immersion time [38,39]. UV-Vis spectroscopy was used to estimate the optimum immersion duration in the silver nitrate solution.…”

The Roughness Effect on the Preparation of Durable Superhydrophobic Silver-Coated Copper Foam for Efficient Oil/Water Separation

“…Consequently, the overlay process was simple, fast and cost-effective. Silver nitrate was employed to enhance the surface micro-roughness, a pivotal element in hydrophobic coating fabrication [39,40]. In addition, fatty acids like stearic acid, palmitic acid, lauric acid and oleic acid are renowned for their capacity to form coordinating bonds with metal nanoparticles and thus for improving the performance of superhydrophobic materials [41].…”