Efficient preparation of multifunctional superhydrophobic surfaces on Zr-based bulk metallic glass by electrochemical machining

It is well known that metallic glasses (MGs) are ideal superhydrophobic substrate materials. However, the preparation methods and application fields of superhydrophobic MGs are presently limited. For the first time, the superhydrophobic layers on both the cathode and anode surfaces of Zr-based bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) were efficiently fabricated through combining the electrochemical etching with electrochemical deposition. The superhydrophobic Cu/Cu2O coating with cauliflower structure on the cathode surface shows excellent photocatalytic and antibacterial performance. In the meantime, the corrosion inhibition rate of the superhydrophobic anode surface reached ∼99.62% and the surface shows good long-term corrosion resistance. This study provides a new horizon for designing superhydrophobic surface on MGs showing mutifunctional performance.