Fabrication of functional superhydrophobic surfaces on carbon fibre reinforced plastics by IR and UV direct laser interference patterning

• Published in: Applied surface science Vol. 508; p. 144817
• Main Authors: Hauschwitz, P., Jagdheesh, R., Alamri, S., Rostohar, D., Kunze, T., Brajer, J., Kopeček, J., Mocek, T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.04.2020
• Subjects: Carbon fibre reinforced plastics; Direct laser interference patterning; Superhydrophobic; Surface functionalization; Surface functionalization; Direct laser interference patterning; Superhydrophobic; Carbon fibre reinforced plastics
• ISSN: 0169-4332; 1873-5584
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2019.144817

[Display omitted] •Fabrication of superhydrophobic µ-structures on CFRP PEEK composite is studied.•Melt- and crack-free ns DLIP processing of hierarchical µ-structures is developed.•µ-structure wettability is mainly dependent on periodicity, depth and quality.•Superhydrophobic surfaces with the CA > 170° and the SA < 2° are demonstrated. The fabrication of functional microstructures on surfaces by laser enables unique material properties and is presently a leading research topic. This work addresses the production of functional hierarchical microstructures on carbon fibre reinforced polymer composites in order to control the wettability properties of the material. Two-beam Direct Laser Interference Patterning using either ultraviolet (263 nm) or infrared (1053 nm) nanosecond laser source is employed to produce melt-free and well-defined hierarchical microstructures on carbon fibre reinforced plastics. The resulting water contact angles after thin film deposition of 1H,1H,2H,2H-Perflorodecyl-triethoxysilane were analysed with respect to structure depth and quality. The maximum static contact angle of 171° is demonstrated for dual hierarchical microstructures composed of 11 µm deep large-scale pillars, covered by 1.7 µm pillars, both fabricated in a single step.