Preparation and Wetting Mechanism of Laser‐Etched Composite Self‐Assembled 1H,1H,2H,2H‐Perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane Superhydrophobic Surface Coating

Herein, a grid‐like microstructure is prepared on the surface of 3Cr13 stainless steel through nanosecond laser etching, and the self‐assembled 1 H ,1 H ,2 H ,2 H ‐perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane (PFDS) coating is further composited to prepare a superhydrophobic surface with a contact angle of 164° and a rolling angle of 3°. The effect of laser etching cycles on the surface microstructure and surface wettability before and after the self‐assembly is studied. With an increase in the etching cycles, a stable grid‐like microstructure is gradually formed on the surface, and subsequently, a composite structure of grooves and pits is formed. After the self‐assembly of the PFDS coating, two superhydrophobic surfaces with different wetting properties are obtained. Furthermore, as the etching cycles increase, the surface changes from a superhydrophobic and high‐adhesion state to a superhydrophobic and low‐adhesion state. The decrease in surface energy is mainly attributed to the C−F group in the PFDS molecule. The experimental results show that PFDS molecules are deposited easily in case of the convex surface, thereby facilitating the formation of superhydrophobic low‐adhesion surfaces. Finally, the superhydrophobic surface is still maintained after cumulative ultrasonic cleaning in deionized water for 75 min, showing good reusability and stability.