Anti-icing and corrosion resistance of superhydrophobic coatings by precision machining and one-step electrodeposition on Mg-Li alloy

Corrosion induced by ice accumulation of liquid droplets causes property deterioration of metallic materials and economic loss. In this study, three microstructured surfaces were prepared on the surface of Mg-Li alloy using precision machining techniques. Superhydrophobic coatings with contact angles around 160° were then deposited on these microstructured surfaces. This was achieved through a one-step electrodeposition method. The rhombic microstructures demonstrated superior anti-icing behavior compared to the other surfaces. This was evidenced by the delayed freezing time of 187 s. The reason behind this behavior lies in the reduced contact area with cooling droplets and the increased air trapped at the interfaces, acting as an isolation barrier to diminish heat transfer efficiency. In corrosive environments, all the coatings exhibited remarkable corrosion resistance. Specifically, the corrosion current density of these coatings decreased by 2–3 orders of magnitude when compared to the substrate.