Facile fabrication of microstructured superhydrophilic and superhydrophobic STS316L

Abstract

The enhancement of the wettability characteristics in stainless steel holds substantial significance for the application of inhibitor coatings. Investigating a s surface design along with assessing the influences of roughness, surface topography, and chemical heterogeneity on wettability has been a primary focus. In this context, the manipulation of stainless steel surface properties has gained significant attention, specifically for the purpose of fine-tuning wettability. Despite this, uncomplicated surface treatment techniques for stainless steels remain insufficiently established. This study presents a simple etching and oxidation approach for tuning the wettability of stainless steel (STS316L). Through etching and oxidation of STS316L, a superhydrophilic wetting state was achieved (contact angle ∼ 2°). Subsequent application of a monolayer coating led to the reversal of wettability from superhydrophilic to superhydrophobic (contact angle ∼ 168°). Additionally, the proposed methodology for STS316L surface treatment opens up broad expansion possibilities for the applications of superhydrophobic surfaces.