Fabrication and corrosion resistance of a superhydrophobic coating on Mg-Li alloys via MAO and HDTMS modification

A simple and environment-friendly method was designed to prepare superhydrophobic (SHP) surface on Mg-Li alloy by the combination of microarc oxidation and a subsequent hexadecyltrimethoxysilane modification. In the coating, a low-energy surface with rough structure was successfully synthesized, resulting in a high contact angle of 163.1 degrees and a superior corrosion resistance. The high corrosion resistance can be attributed to the synergistic effect of superhydrophobicity and physical barrier ability of SHP coating. Furthermore, the SHP coating exhibits excellent self-cleaning property and chemical stability.