We analyze the role of surrounding gas and aging in ambient air in the wettability behavior of laser-processed stainless steel meshes. Laser texturing of meshes was carried out in the presence of different gases (N2, O2, CO2, Ar, and SF6) in ambient atmospheric air and under different vacuum conditions. The influence of each gas on the evolution of the wettability properties after aging in ambient air is analyzed. The effects of low-pressure and vacuum aging allowed transforming the initial superhydrophilic characteristics of the laser-structured meshes to an almost superhydrophobic state.
