Demonstrates durable fluorine-free superhydrophobic coatings, suggesting scalable application potential.
Superhydrophobic surfaces have demonstrated broad application prospects in fields such as antifouling, self‐cleaning, and anti‐icing. However, their insufficient mechanical durability has significantly hindered practical large‐scale application. This study presents a highly durable fluorine‐free superhydrophobic coating fabricated via a thermo‐photo dual‐curing mechanism. The modified silicone resin first undergoes thermally induced silanol condensation to form a primary network, then initiates free radical polymerization via UV light with butyl methacrylate to establish a secondary network. This interpenetrating dual‐network firmly anchors micro‑/nano‑fillers, greatly improving wear resistance. Nano‑silica (n‑SiO 2 ) provides essential roughness, while surface‑modified h‑BN enhances mechanical robustness through its unique micro‑scale lamellar structure. Furthermore, the dual curing process enriches the surface with densely packed octyl/butyl chains, sharply lowering surface energy for fluorine‑free superhydrophobicity. The coating maintains superhydrophobicity after 66 m of abrasion with 1000‑grit sandpaper under 9.8 kPa and shows excellent chemical/thermal stability. It also exhibits low ice adhesion of 19.6 kPa and a ∼14‑fold longer ice delay time, confirming exceptional anti‑icing performance. When applied to an antenna hood, it suppresses rain‑induced signal attenuation, proving practical value in communication protection. Overall, this work provides a new material‑engineering strategy for durable and environmentally benign superhydrophobic coatings, with promising potential for scalable field applications.
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Ding et al. (2026) studied this question.
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