High performance super-hydrophobic ZrO2-SiO2 porous ceramics coating with flower-like CeO2 micro/nano-structure

The super-hydrophobic (SH) porous ceramics material with good stability was successfully prepared via the hydrothermal growth of CeO2 micro/nano-structure and the subsequent dip-coating of low surface energy substance 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane (PFDTES) over the surfaces of ZrO2-SiO2 porous ceramics substrate. The surface morphology, chemical composition and wettability of material were investigated by means of SEM, EDS, XRD, FT-IR, and contact angle measurement. It was found that a layer of CeO2 nano-flowers had been attached over the surfaces of ZrO2-SiO2 porous ceramics substrate, using the optimized concentration of CeNO3 precursor, and after the grafting of PFDTES, the super hydrophobicity of the obtained material was achieved, with the water contact angle being as high as 162° and sliding angle being approximately 0°. Particularly, the super hydrophobicity was found to occur also in the pores of the obtained material. The obtained material was found to possess the significantly large thermal and chemical stabilities.