Fabrication of self-recovering superhydrophobic Cu-CNTs composite coatings via co-electrodeposition: Wettability transition is due to spontaneous adsorption of airborne hydrocarbons

• Published in: Colloid and interface science communications Vol. 46; p. 100524
• Main Authors: Cai, Bin, Gui, Zhenzhen, Guo, Tao, Kang, Zhixin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.01.2022
• Subjects: Airborne hydrocarbon; Cu-CNTs composite coatings; Electroplating; Micro-nano structure; Superhydrophobicity; Wettability transition; Airborne hydrocarbon; Cu-CNTs composite coatings; Micro-nano structure; Electroplating; Superhydrophobicity; Wettability transition
• ISSN: 2215-0382; 2215-0382
• DOI: 10.1016/j.colcom.2021.100524

A simple method was proposed to prepare conductive and superhydrophobic copper‑carbon nanotubes (Cu-CNTs) composite coatings on ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymers) substrate. In this work, we investigated the variation of wettability and chemical composition when the prepared coatings were stored in the air. The freshly prepared superhydrophilic Cu-CNTs composite coatings adsorbed the airborne hydrocarbons and switched to superhydrophobicity after being exposed in the air for two weeks. Meanwhile, the coatings prepared at 1 A dm−2 presented good superhydrophobicity (water contact angle ~158.4°, water roll-off angle ~5.3°) and conductivity (0.126 Ω sq.−1). The superhydrophobicity of the coatings was attributed to the lamellar micro-nano structures and the spontaneous adsorption of low free energy airborne hydrocarbons. What is more, the coatings showed good droplets impact stability, self-cleaning performance, and self-recovering ability to resist damage in practical applications. [Display omitted] •A superhydrophobic Cu-CNTs composite coatings were fabricated by a simple co-electrodeposition method.•Freshly prepared coatings underwent wettability transition from superhydrophilic to superhydrophobic state.•Wettability transition was due to spontaneous adsorption of airborne hydrocarbons.•The superhydrophobic coatings possessed favourable conductive, self-cleaning, and self-recovering properties.