Narrow Results

Magnesium (Mg) alloys have been increasingly used in industries and biomaterial fields due to low density, high specific strength and biodegradability. However, poor surface-related properties are major factors that limit their practical applications. This paper mainly focuses on laser-based anti-corrosion technologies for Mg alloys, beginning with a brief review of conventional methods, and then demonstrates the feasibility of laser surface technologies including laser surface melting (LSM), laser surface alloying (LSA), laser surface cladding (LSC) and laser shock peening (LSP) in achieving enhancement of corrosion resistance. The mechanism and capability of each technique in corrosion resistance is carefully discussed. Finally, an outlook of the development of laser surface technology for Mg alloy is further concluded, aiming to serve as a guide for further research both in industry applications and biomedical devices.

In the present study, a scalable-manufactured and environmental-friendly method was proposed to fabricate the superhydrophobic coating on titanium alloy. The hierarchical binary surface structures were obtained by hydrothermal treatment of titanium alloy with oxalic acid and sodium hydroxide solutions successively. The hierarchical structure surfaces after fluoroalkyl-silane modification possessed a maximum contact angle of 158.7^∘ and a sliding angle of 4.3^∘. The low contact angle hysteresis surface can lead to efficient self-cleaning performance, which was confirmed by the bounce and roll off of water droplet on the surface. Furthermore, the anticorrosion behaviors of the superhydrophobic coating in 3.5wt.% NaCl solution was evaluated by the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). It was found that the superhydrophobic coating can maintain its superhydrophobic state (150^∘) within 48 h, thereby effectively preventing the corrosive medium from penetrating into the coating. This simple yet fast anti-corrosion/self-cleaning superhydrophobic coating manufacturing strategy will enlighten its potential application in the engineering fields.

The fabrication of hydrophobic coatings whose water contact angle is over 90^∘ has high potential to induce waterproof, anti-fouling, and self-cleaning properties. In this research, a composite hydrophobic coating was constructed with flower-shaped ZnO, waterborne acrylic resin that is harmless to the environment and stearic acid. The hydrophobicity of the coating is tested by means of water contact angle method (WCA). The WCA of the composite coating can be extended up to 128^∘. The composite hydrophobic coating displayed good performances of anti-corrosion and self-cleaning. In addition, the composite hydrophobic coatings also showed good photo-catalytic degradation property under visible light irradiation, which was shown by means of the methylene blue test. The composite coating soaked in 3.5wt.% NaCl solution had excellent durability. It is proved that such produced hydrophobic coatings can be widely applied to the field of anti-corrosion and self-cleaning.