Superhydrophobic surface functionalisation: metallic materials

Limiting fouling, reducing adhesion and controlling the wettability of metal surfaces in demanding environments. The aim is to modify surface behaviour without resorting to chemical treatments or coatings.

Development of an ultrashort pulse laser surface texturing process to create micro- and nanostructures on the surface. The texture is optimised to impart superhydrophobic properties directly to the material.

The challenge is to achieve uniform texturing on 3D geometries while generating durable superhydrophobic behaviour, without adding a coating or chemical treatment. It is also necessary to guarantee reproducible performance on different metallic materials.

The resulting surfaces exhibit superhydrophobic behaviour that significantly delays fouling. The solution provides durable functionalisation, integrated directly into the material and applicable to complex parts without any additional treatment step.