A facile fabrication method of wettability modification of TiAl6V4 based on alkali solution treatment: Superhydrophilic, superhydrophobic and slippery surface

The rapid development of nanoscale surface modification technology has led to the development of superhydrophilic, superhydrophobic, and slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces (SLIPS) in recent decades. These surfaces have excellent self-cleaning and anti-contamination performance, and many studies have reported their industrial applications. Industrial and modern medical applications of titanium are rapidly expanding owing to its advantages of chemical stability, high mechanical strength, stable corrosion resistance, and biocompatibility; however, performing surface modification of titanium remains challenging. In this study, superhydrophilic, superhydrophobic, and SLIPS were fabricated on titanium using a simple surface fabrication method, and their wettabilities were analyzed and compared. Furthermore, we succeeded in applying the method used in this study to bulky and complex objects. Chemical and physical analyses were performed to confirm the fabrication, wettability properties, and nanostructures of the modified surfaces. The simple fabrication method presented a significant advancement as there are no limitations in its application to large areas, complex shapes, or mass production, unlike existing titanium wettability modification methods.