The preparation and corrosion resistance of superhydrophobic coating on Cu plate via two-step electrodeposition

Purpose The purpose of this paper was prepared a Ni-based superhydrophobic coating on the surface of copper to enhence its corrosion resistance. The superhydrophobic coating (SHPC) has proven to be an effective surface treatment in corrosion protection. In this paper, a Ni-based SHPC was prepared on the surface of copper (Cu) to enhance its corrosion resistance. Design/methodology/approach The coating was prepared through a two-step electrodeposition process. The first step involves the formation of a micro-nano structure Ni layer formed by an electrodeposition process. Subsequently, the polysiloxane layer was deposited on the Ni surface to create an SHPC. The morphology, composition, structure, wettability and corrosion resistance of the coating were characterized and discussed. Findings The results show that the water contact angle of the as-prepared coating reaches 155.5°±1.0°. The corrosion current density (icorr = 3.90 × 10−9 A·cm−2) decreased by three orders of magnitude compared to the substrate, whereas |Z|f = 0.01 Hz (2.40 × 106 Ω·cm2) increased by three orders of magnitude. It indicated that the prepared coating has excellent superhydrophobicity and high corrosion resistance, which can provide better protection for the substrate. Originality/value The prepared coating provides long-lasting protection for Cu and other metals and offers valuable data for developing SHPCs.