Bionic Microstructure/Nanofiller Heterogeneous Ultradurable Superhydrophobic Surface Based on Metal Additive Manufacturing

Metallic superhydrophobic surfaces often encounter several challenges, including poor durability, limited functionality, and difficulties in application to complex curved structures. Therefore, we propose a novel strategy for surface biomimetic interpenetrating phase composites (S-BIPC). This approach employs laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) technology to create biomimetic microstructures as the primary phase on the Ti6Al4V surface in a single step. Subsequently, functional nanofillers synthesized via the sol-gel method serve as the secondary phase, interpenetrating with the biomimetic microstructures to form a biomimetic heterogeneous superhydrophobic surface (BHS). The interaction among these heterogeneous surface materials endows the BHS with exceptional durability, allowing it to retain superhydrophobicity after at least 5000 cycles of sandpaper abrasion and approximately 200% compressive strain. Furthermore, the BHS exhibits self-cleaning properties, wear resistance, corrosion resistance, anti-icing capabilities, and can be applied to complex curved structures, making the S-BIPC strategy one of the most promising candidates for metallic superhydrophobic surfaces.