Functionalisation of the aluminium surface by cucl2 chemical etching and perfluoro silane grafting : enhanced corrosion protection and improved anti-icing behaviour

Rodič, Peter (author), Može, Matic (author), Golobič, Iztok (author), Milošev, Ingrid (author)

This study aimed to prepare a facile hierarchical aluminium surface using a two-step process consisting of chemical etching in selected concentrations of CuCl2 solution and surface grafting through immersion in an ethanol solution containing 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane. The goal was to achieve superhydrophobic characteristics on the aluminium surface, including enhanced corrosion resistance, efficient self-cleaning ability, and improved anti-icing performance. The surface characterisation of the untreated aluminium and treated in CuCl2 solutions of different concentrations was performed using contact profilometry, optical tensiometry, and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy to determine the surface topography, wettability, morphology, and surface composition. The corrosion properties were evaluated using potentiodynamic measurements in simulated acid rain solution and salt-spray test according to ASTM B117-22. In addition, self-cleaning and anti-icing tests were performed on superhydrophobic surfaces prepared under optimal conditions. The results showed that the nano-/micro-structured etched aluminium surface with an optimal 0.5 M concentration of CuCl2 grafted with a perfluoroalkyl silane film achieved superhydrophobic characteristics, with water droplets exhibiting efficient corrosion protection, self-cleaning ability, and improved anti-icing performance with decreased ice nucleation temperature and up to 545% increased freezing delay.

• Language: English
• Keywords: superhydrophobic surface, corrosion protection, self-cleaning, anti-icing
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FS - Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2024
• Number of pages: 20 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 14, iss. 10, art. 1118
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-163132
• UDC: 620.1/.2
• ISSN on article: 2075-4701
• DOI: 10.3390/met14101118
• COBISS.SI-ID: 209860355
• Publication date in RUL: 02.10.2024

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Metals
• Shortened title: Metals
• Publisher: MDPI AG
• ISSN: 2075-4701
• COBISS.SI-ID: 15976214

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: superhidrofobna površina, korozijska zaščita, samočistilni učinek, preprečevanje zmrzovanja