Fluorinated poly(aryl ether ketone) superhydrophobic coatings and their properties

Superhydrophobic coatings were prepared by a facilespraying process from a fluorinated poly(aryl ether ketone) (FPAEK) solution containing hydrophobic fumed SiO₂ and carbon nanotube (CNT) as inorganicdopants. The FPAEK was polymerized from 4,4′-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)diphenol and 4,4-difluorophenophenone. It has been found that when the doping amounts of SiO₂ and CNT are both 1wt%, the water contact angle W_CA of the SiO₂-CNT/FPAEK coating is 167° and the sliding angle S_A is 4°. The glass transition temperature and initial decomposition temperature of the SiO₂-CNT/FPAEK coating are 170℃ and 480℃, respectively, demonstrating its excellent thermal stability. After immersing in pH=1 of HCl solution, pH=13 of NaOH solution, and 3.5wt% mass fraction of NaCl solution for 13 days, the SiO₂-CNT/FPAEK coating maintains its W_CA above 150°, demonstrating its excellent chemical stability. After 80 friction testing cycles, the SiO₂-CNT/FPAEK coating maintains the W_CA at 151°, demonstrating its good mechanical stability. In the electrochemical tests, the corrosion voltage E_corr of the steel plate is increased from −0.538 V to −0.112 V and the corrosion current J_corr is decreased from 2.105×10⁻⁵ A to 1.94×10⁻⁷ A after coating with the SiO₂-CNT/FPAEK, demonstrating its good anti-corrosion property. Replacing the substrate with iron plate, cement plate, glass plate and polyethyleneplate, the superhydrophobic coatings are also obtained. The dust and other contaminants can be easily removed from the superhydrophobic coatings by the falling water droplets, demonstrating its good self-cleaning property. Therefore, the SiO₂-CNT/FPAEK superhydrophobic coating has prospect applications.