Superhydrophobic Coatings: Types and Fabrication Approaches

Abstract

Due to their self-cleaning, water repellency, antimicrobial, anti-corrosion and anti-icing attributes, superhydrophobic coatings are becoming increasingly popular and are frequently utilized in medical equipment, wearable electronics, papers, textiles, etc. Making micro- and nanostructures out of materials with low surface energies can result in superhydrophobicity. Generally, multi-step processes are used to make the surfaces of the materials rough in order to create the majority of superhydrophobic coatings. A simple, inexpensive, scalable and environmentally friendly coating technique is highly sought after, considering the shortage of appropriate naturally available templates, along with simple and low-cost methods of fabrication. Superhydrophobic coatings can be produced by reducing surface tension and increasing nanoscale roughness, and they offer a wide range of possible applications. This chapter provides an account of the fabrication techniques used for superhydrophobic coatings.