Superhydrophobic coatings from recyclable materials for protection in a real sea environment

Recyclable materials can be referred to as both those materials directly recycled from wastes and those derived from any kind of transformation before use. Highly water repellent coatings with wettability properties, known as superhydrophobic (SH), are related to surfaces with contact angles above 150° and a very small hysteresis. The small area available for these surfaces when in contact with water can be exploited in many applications in which interactions with an aqueous environment are usually desirable to be avoided, like for protection and friction reduction in a marine environment. SH coatings under investigation have been prepared starting from recyclable materials with the aim to provide a sustainable and low cost solution, with potential application to large surfaces in a marine environment. Wetting studies, surface characterization, and electrochemical tests show how these surfaces can be used in terms of fouling prevention and the protection of metals in underwater conditions.