Fabrication of non-flaking, superhydrophobic surfaces using a one-step solution-immersion process on copper foams

Non-flaking superhydrophobic surfaces were prepared using a simple one-step solution-immersion process on commercially obtained copper foam substrates. Copper foams were immersed in a 0.05 M ethanolic stearic acid solution at room temperature for several days. This formed coverage of copper stearate with micro- and nano-scale hierarchical surface morphology. The surface of the copper foam after 4 days of immersion demonstrates superhydrophobicity with a water contact angle of 156°. A sliding angel of 4° for a 5 μL droplet indicates excellent non-sticking behavior. Compared with a flat copper plate, the superhydrophobic surfaces based on copper foams are much more robust and mechanically stable. This work provides a promising strategy for scalable fabrication of superhydrophobic surfaces on 3D porous structures.