Preparation and Evaluation of PDMS/Carbon Soot Particles Superhydrophobic Biomimetic Composite Coating with Self-Cleaning and Durability

In this paper, a superhydrophobic biomimetic composite coating was fabricated on brass by electrochemical etching, brushing PDMS adhesive layer, and depositing carbon soot particles. Due to the microstructure and the optimized ratio of PDMS, the contact angle of the superhydrophobic coating is up to 164° and the sliding angle is only 5°. The results of optical microscopy and morphometric laser confocal microscopy show that the prepared coating surface has a rough hierarchical structure. A high-speed digital camera recorded the droplet bouncing process on the surface of the superhydrophobic coating. The self-cleaning property of the coatings was evaluated by applying chalk dust particles as simulated solid contaminants and different kinds of liquids (including grape juice, beer, cola, and blue ink) as liquid contaminants. The coating remained superhydrophobic after physical and chemical damage tests. This work presents a strategy for fabricating superhydrophobic biomimetic composite coatings with significant self-cleaning properties, durability, and shows great potential for practical engineering applications.