Wettability of Surface on Aluminum Alloy Based on Laser Micro-textured and Self-assembled Technique

Abstract

Micron texture was first introduced on aluminum alloy substrate by laser manufacturing. Subsequently,perfluorodecyltrichlorosilane(FDTS) was deposited on these surfaces by nanocoating technology through a self-assembly route to form hydrophobic/superhydrophobic aluminum alloy surface. Scanning electron microscope, surface profiler and contact angle measurement were used to characterize the surface properties, and wettability of specimens. The results indicate that the joint action of micron level rough structure of microtexture by laser manufacturing and SAMs plays an important role in preparing superhydrophobic surface. Contact angle of the water droplet on the substrate increases with pitch decreasing(50-100μm),and is related to the type of laser microtexture. The carrying capacity experiments of floating platform show that superhydrophobic surface is in accord with the Cassie-Baxter model state, and can effectively improve the carrying capacity of the floating platform.

Keywords

• wettability
• laser micro-textured
• self-assembled
• contact angle
• carrying capacity