Because of their repellent, corrosion-mitigating, anti-icing, and self-cleaning properties, superhydrophobic coatings have numerous applications from windshields to textiles. A superhydrophobic coating is defined as one having a water contact angle (WCA) greater than 150° with a surface sliding angle less than 10°, and very low hysteresis between the advancing and receding angles. Its surface exhibits the so-called “lotus leaf effect,” whereby water bounces and balls up on contact. Here, water droplets run off readily, taking along dirt and dust for a self-cleaning effect that keeps the surface dry. The chemical composition of a surface affects the WCA, which can rise to 120°, but to achieve a WCA greater than 150°, which is considered superhydrophobic, an additional micro- and nanostructural component is needed. This functional hierarchical micro- and nanomorphology is exhibited in nature by plants and insects. A superhydrophobic coating on metallic substrates promises to provide corrosion mitigation by blocking oxygen and electrolytes, which are needed for the initiation of corrosion at the surface and interface. The methods used for preparing functional superhydrophobic coatings include sol-gel processing, layer-by-layer assembly, etching, lithography, chemical and electrochemical depositions, chemical vapor deposition, electrospinning, hydrothermal synthesis, and one-pot reactions. In this work, some research studies conducted to develop robust and durable superhydrophobic coatings are discussed in detail and analyzed for possible corrosion mitigation on the surfaces of metals and alloys. Scientists, engineers, students, and other participants in automotive, aircraft, energy, defense, electronics, and other industries will benefit greatly from this work.
Superhydrophobic Coatings as Anti-Icing Systems for Small Aircraft