Optimization of Laser Texturing Conditions for Accelerated Fabrication of Superhydrophobic Coatings with Controlled Properties

Abstract An approach is proposed for significantly accelerating laser texturing by optimizing processing parameters and using preliminary substrate heating. The obtained superhydrophobic coatings are not inferior in performance to the best known counterparts. It is shown that variation of the laser scanning speed and substrate temperature is an effective tool for controlling the micro- and nanostructure, chemical composition, and, consequently, the functional properties of the coating, including mechanical strength and resistance to icing. It is experimentally demonstrated that, for accelerated laser texturing regimes, preliminary heating of the sample to 240°C enables the formation of coatings with enhanced resistance to abrasive wear and to stresses arising during ice crystallization and detachment.