Nanostructured Superhydrophobic Coatings

A short description of the activities and facilities of the CIGELE/INGIVRE Chairs in relation with superhydrophobic and icephobic nanometric coatings has been reported. A brief description of how superhydrophobicity can help mitigate the ice accretion problem on power network equipment and other exposed structures by reducing adhesion of ice to surface has been presented. Basic models namely the Wenzel and Cassie-Baxter models accounting for the contact angle of water on solid surfaces relating to the influence of surface roughness on hydrophobicity have been discussed. The CIGELE/INGIVRE research team involved in the development of nanometric materials is actively working on the elaboration of superhydrophobic aluminium surfaces by chemical etching, superhydrophobic copper surfaces by silver nanoparticles, superhydrophobic nanostructured oxides and superhydrophobic nanofibres. Some of the promising results achieved on superhydrophobicity have been described.