Solution Precursor Plasma Sprayed Superhydrophobic Surface

In the past decade, mimicking hydrophobic surfaces from nature has gained extensive interest due to its potential to benefit the environment through energy conservation. Very recently, surfaces of transition metal oxides have been shown to be inherently hydrophobic due to their electron configuration. This work presents the first transition metal oxide hydrophobic surfaces fabricated by using the solution precursor plasma spraying technique. The coating formation mechanisms for solution precursor plasma spray are different than the conventional plasma spray, which lead to nano- and submicron-structured coatings. This type of structured surface is very desirable in fabricating hydrophobic surfaces since it captures the essence of self-cleaning leaves and wings in nature. The contact angle measured on the as-sprayed surface is higher than 120°. The effects of spray parameters are studied and the coating is characterized using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy.