Fabrication of micro-bulge structures by a chemically assisted spatially shaped femtosecond laser and investigation of their surface anti-icing performance

To address the anti-icing performance requirements of superhydrophobic surfaces, this study adopts a manufacturing method that combines Bessel femtosecond laser and chemical modification techniques to fabricate a superhydrophobic micro-protrusion structure on a nickel-based high-temperature alloy surface. The micro-protrusion structure consists of micro-scale elevations and nano-scale wrinkles, which results in a contact angle as high as 152.4^∘±0.1^∘. This allows the static freezing time of the surface to be extended from 31 to 228 s, which is 7.3 times longer than the untreated nickel-based alloy sample. This is because the micro-protrusion structure, in collaboration with the silanization modification technique, significantly reduces the surface-free energy of the material, which can effectively regulate the wettability of the material surface, transitioning it from hydrophilic to superhydrophobic. This study provides a new approach for anti-icing technology, to our knowledge, that can be widely applied in the fields of energy, military, and aerospace.