Superhydrophobic anti‐fouling medicine box material: A dual modification method of UHMWPE surface melting snow wax

Abstract

This article researches a superhydrophobic anti‐fouling material that can be used for agricultural medicine boxes, aiming to solve the problems of residual medicine, difficult recovery, and low reuse rate in medicine boxes. Double modification (volume and surface modification) is carried out on the ultra‐high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) matrix, and the high fluidity of melted snow wax is connected to UHMWPE and gas‐phase silica (SiO2) to prepare superhydrophobic composite materials U‐C‐WSiO2, achieving multiple combinations of superhydrophobicity, high mechanical properties, and high stability. The high‐strength bonding between snow wax and UHMWPE matrix acts as an adhesive, strengthening the bonding degree between silica particles and the matrix, achieving excellent superhydrophobicity, static contact angle reaches 157.0° on its surface while maintaining a relatively stable hydrophobic surface after multiple droplet impacts. In addition, unique surface modification methods endow U‐C‐WSiO2 composite materials with high stability, which can resist pesticide erosion and maintain surface corrosion resistance. This superhydrophobic composite material can solve the problem of pesticide residue in medicine boxes and has broad prospects for agricultural applications. Its surface water repellent and drug repellent properties further expand the application of thermoplastic engineering plastics in agricultural production.