Novel Self-Healing Superhydrophobic Coating with Oil–Water Separation and Anti-Icing Properties

Abstract

A self-healing superhydrophobic coating was successfully prepared in the present work. The coating comprised PEG (polyethylene glycol) and Fe3O4 nanoparticles modified with stearic acid (SA) via hydrogen bonds, using polyamide resin and epoxy as binders. The chemically damaged surface could restore its original superhydrophobic structure and chemical composition after 4 h at room temperature or 10 min of heating in an oven with a self-healing efficiency of 95.5% and 96.1%, respectively. The hydrogen bonds between SA-OH and Fe3O4-OH nanoparticles enabled the repeatable and efficient self-healing properties of the superhydrophobic coating. The coating exhibited remarkable chemical resistance, maintaining superhydrophobicity even after 48 h of immersion in strong acidic and alkaline solutions. Additionally, the prepared fabric showed excellent mechanical stability after 2400 mm of abrasion and 125 cycles of tape peeling with a WCA above 150°. Furthermore, the coated fabric was effective for oil/water separation and anti-icing. With these powerful functions, the proposed superhydrophobic coating holds promising applications in both daily life and industry.