Effect of Ceramic Additives on Hydrophobic Layer Electrodeposition

Abstract

The main topic of this paper is effect of ceramic powders addition to electrolytes based on myristic acid, polyvinylidene fluoride and fluorinated polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane for hydrophobic surface deposition. Alumina and tungsten carbide were introduced to decrease surface roughness and porosity of deposits. Complementary diagnostics using confocal microscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray computed tomography, infrared spectroscopy, contact angle and surface free energy calculation provided complex methodology for hybrid superhydrophobic deposit observation and optimization od electrolytic process. As a result, superhydrophobic electrodeposits with water contact angle up to 164°, surface free energy under 20 mJ/m2 were prepared. Addition of ceramic powders, especially tungsten carbide, had positive effect on surface roughness decrease.