Development of Highly Durable Superhydrophobic Coatings by One-Step Plasma Spray Methodology

This study aims to minimize the mechanical, chemical and thermal damages on the blades of a compressor used in aerospace engines by developing a superhydrophobic coating on the blade surface. In the absence of any information in open literature for the fabrication of such coatings, an one-step plasma spray process was implemented. For this, a well mixed powder of Ni and Ti was used as feedstock material. The superhydrophobicity characteristic of the coating was confirmed by the measurement of the contact (165°) and sliding angles (8 ± 1°) by the sessile drop technique. The adhesion test of the coating showed the high force of adhesion at the interface with a failure limit of 40.85 MPa. Furthermore, the abrasion test depicted an excellent abrasion resistance of the coating. These two investigations indicated that the coatings had a very high mechanical durability. The coatings also showed an excellent thermal stability up to 400 °C. Beyond this temperature (at 600 and 900 °C), the superhydrophobic characteristic changed for hydrophobic. The pH and corrosion tests were also performed to assess the chemical stability of coatings. They showed that the coatings retained the superhydrophobic property for pH ranging between 9.5 and 2.4. Beyond this range, at pH = 10 and pH = 2, the contact angles were 138° and 143°, respectively. In addition, the coatings exhibited a better corrosion resistance than the substrate and coatings developed by using other deposition techniques.