Multifunctional Superhydrophobic Coatings for Aluminum and Magnesium Alloys: Applications and Performance - Review

Hanaa Soliman; Rongling Zhang; Xialong Cai; Wei Feng; Alanood A. Alsarayreh; Awesar A. Hussain; Salih Alsadaie

doi:10.51173/jt.v7i2.2697

Authors

Hanaa Soliman Central Metallurgical Research and Development Institute (CMRDI), Helwan, Egypt
Rongling Zhang School of Mechanical Engineering, Chengdu University, 610106, Chengdu, China
Xialong Cai School of Mechanical Engineering, Chengdu University, 610106, Chengdu, China
Wei Feng School of Mechanical Engineering, Chengdu University, 610106, Chengdu, China
Alanood A. Alsarayreh Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Mutah University, P.O. Box 7, Al- Karak 61710, Jordan
Awesar A. Hussain Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Informatics, University of Bradford, Bradford BD7 1DP, United Kingdom
Salih Alsadaie Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Sirte University, Sirte, Libya

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51173/jt.v7i2.2697

Keywords:

Aluminum/Magnesium Alloys, Superhydrophobic Surface, Corrosion Resistance, Wear Resistance

Abstract

The manufacturing of aerospace, automotive, and defense systems depends on aluminum and magnesium alloys because they provide low density, a high strength-to-weight ratio, and easy machining capabilities, which result in better fuel efficiency, increased payload capacity, and enhanced maneuverability in aerospace and ground-based military platforms. Despite these advantages, both alloys suffer from poor corrosion and wear resistance, which restricts their use in harsh environments and poses risks to the performance and reliability of military systems. Surface modification technologies provide immediate solutions to these problems through superhydrophobic coatings emerging as a promising approach. The coatings deliver water repellency while simultaneously improving self-cleaning capabilities, antifouling properties, drag reduction, anti-icing features, corrosion protection, and wear resistance. Recent studies have made substantial advancements in designing and manufacturing superhydrophobic surfaces. The current methods for preparing superhydrophobic surfaces require complicated procedures, expensive equipment, and strict processing conditions, which create challenges for industrial-scale implementation. This review presents two representative studies for aluminum and two for magnesium alloys, with emphasis on preparation methods, surface morphology, and performance outcomes. The aim is to clarify the strengths and limitations of these coatings and support their development in practical applications that require durability, corrosion resistance, and multifunctionality. It compares their performance across different substrates while considering their effectiveness for corrosion resistance, anti-bacterial, anti-icing, and friction resistance with self-cleaning performance.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Hanaa Soliman, Central Metallurgical Research and Development Institute (CMRDI), Helwan, Egypt

Xialong Cai, School of Mechanical Engineering, Chengdu University, 610106, Chengdu, China

Wei Feng, School of Mechanical Engineering, Chengdu University, 610106, Chengdu, China

Alanood A. Alsarayreh, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Mutah University, P.O. Box 7, Al- Karak 61710, Jordan

Awesar A. Hussain, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Informatics, University of Bradford, Bradford BD7 1DP, United Kingdom

Salih Alsadaie, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Sirte University, Sirte, Libya

References

Huang, S.-J. and A. Abbas, Effects of tungsten disulfide on microstructure and mechanical properties of AZ91 magnesium alloy manufactured by stir casting. Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 2020. 817: p. 153321. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2019.153321.

Zhang, Z.-Q., et al., Corrosion resistance of self-cleaning silane/polypropylene composite coatings on magnesium alloy AZ31. Journal of Materials Science & Technology, 2020. 41: p. 43-55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmst.2019.08.056.

Abbas, A., et al., Tribological effects of carbon nanotubes on magnesium alloy AZ31 and analyzing aging effects on CNTs/AZ31 composites fabricated by stir casting process. Tribology International, 2020. 142: p. 105982. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.triboint.2019.105982.

Rao, Y., et al., On the PEO treatment of cold sprayed 7075 aluminum alloy and its effects on mechanical, corrosion and dry sliding wear performances thereof. Surface and Coatings Technology, 2020. 383: p. 125271. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfcoat.2019.125271.

Mansfeld, F., et al., Pitting and passivation of Al alloys and Al‐based metal matrix composites. Journal of the Electrochemical Society, 1990. 137(1): p. 78. https://doi.org/10.1149/1.2086442.

Valizade, N. and Z. Farhat, A review on abrasive wear of aluminum composites: mechanisms and influencing factors. Journal of Composites Science, 2024. 8(4): p. 149. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcs8040149.

Olugbade, T.O., B.O. Omiyale, and O.T. Ojo, Corrosion, corrosion fatigue, and protection of magnesium alloys: mechanisms, measurements, and mitigation. Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance, 2022: p. 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-021-06355-2.

Echeverry-Rendon, M., et al., Novel coatings obtained by plasma electrolytic oxidation to improve the corrosion resistance of magnesium-based biodegradable implants. Surface and Coatings Technology, 2018. 354: p. 28-37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfcoat.2018.09.007.

Zhao, Q., et al., Galvanic corrosion of the anodized 7050 aluminum alloy coupled with the low hydrogen embrittlement CdTi plated 300M steel in an industrial-marine atmospheric environment. Surface and Coatings Technology, 2020. 382: p. 125171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfcoat.2019.125171.

Li, C.-Y., et al., Corrosion and wear resistance of micro‐arc oxidation composite coatings on magnesium alloy AZ31—the influence of inclusions of carbon spheres. Advanced Engineering Materials, 2019. 21(9): p. 1900446. https://doi.org/10.1002/adem.201900446/

Li, Z.-y., et al., Effect of oxidation time on the impact wear of micro-arc oxidation coating on aluminum alloy. Wear, 2019. 426: p. 285-295. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wear.2019.01.084.

Muhaffel, F. and H. Cimenoglu, Development of corrosion and wear resistant micro-arc oxidation coating on a magnesium alloy. Surface and Coatings Technology, 2019. 357: p. 822-832. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfcoat.2018.10.089.

Huang, Q., et al., Corrosion behavior of ZnO-reinforced coating on aluminum alloy prepared by plasma electrolytic oxidation. Surface and Coatings Technology, 2019. 374: p. 1015-1023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfcoat.2019.06.079.

Ghavidel, N., et al., Corrosion and wear behavior of an electroless Ni-P/nano-SiC coating on AZ31 Mg alloy obtained through environmentally-friendly conversion coating. Surface and Coatings Technology, 2020. 382: p. 125156. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfcoat.2019.125156.

Siddique, S., et al., Enhanced electrochemical and tribological properties of AZ91D magnesium alloy via cold spraying of aluminum alloy. Journal of Thermal Spray Technology, 2019. 28: p. 1739-1748. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11666-019-00915-8.

Akyol, A., et al., A novel approach for wear and corrosion resistance in the electroless Ni-PW alloy with CNFs co-depositions. Applied Surface Science, 2018. 453: p. 482-492. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2018.05.152.

Yuan, Y., et al., Effects of shapes of biomimetic coupling units on wear resistance of 7075 aluminum alloy. Optics & Laser Technology, 2020. 121: p. 105786. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.optlastec.2019.105786.

Huang, K., et al., Wear and corrosion resistance of Al0. 5CoCrCuFeNi high-entropy alloy coating deposited on AZ91D magnesium alloy by laser cladding. Entropy, 2018. 20(12): p. 915. https://doi.org/10.3390/e20120915.

Qin, Z., et al., Synergistic effect of hydroxylated boron nitride and silane on corrosion resistance of aluminum alloy 5052. Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers, 2019. 100: p. 285-294. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtice.2019.04.029.

Mroczkowska, K., A. Antończak, and J. Gąsiorek, The corrosion resistance of aluminum alloy modified by laser radiation. Coatings, 2019. 9(10): p. 672. https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings9100672.

Collins, C.M. and M. Safiuddin, Lotus-leaf-inspired biomimetic coatings: different types, key properties, and applications in infrastructures. Infrastructures, 2022. 7(4): p. 46. https://doi.org/10.3390/infrastructures7040046.

Khan, M.Z., et al., Recent advances in superhydrophobic surfaces for practical applications: A review. European Polymer Journal, 2022. 178: p. 111481. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2022.111481.

Nyankson, E., et al., Recent advances in nanostructured superhydrophobic surfaces: Fabrication and long-term durability challenges. Current Opinion in Chemical Engineering, 2022. 36: p. 100790. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coche.2021.100790.

Tu, S., et al., Waterborne Recoatable Transparent Superhydrophobic Coatings with Excellent Self‐Cleaning and Anti‐Dust Performance. Small, 2025: p. 2410171. https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202410171.

Gong, X. and S. He, Highly durable superhydrophobic polydimethylsiloxane/silica nanocomposite surfaces with good self-cleaning ability. Acs Omega, 2020. 5(8): p. 4100-4108. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.9b03775.

Yang, H., et al., Wood-based composite phase change materials with self-cleaning superhydrophobic surface for thermal energy storage. Applied Energy, 2020. 261: p. 114481. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2019.114481.

Pakdel, E., et al., Advances in photocatalytic self-cleaning, superhydrophobic and electromagnetic interference shielding textile treatments. Advances in colloid and interface science, 2020. 277: p. 102116. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cis.2020.102116.

Geyer, F., et al., When and how self-cleaning of superhydrophobic surfaces works. Science advances, 2020. 6(3): p. eaaw9727. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aaw9727.

Dalawai, S.P., et al., Recent advances in durability of superhydrophobic self-cleaning technology: a critical review. Progress in Organic Coatings, 2020. 138: p. 105381. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.porgcoat.2019.105381.

Rodič, P., et al., Anti-corrosion and anti-icing properties of superhydrophobic laser-textured aluminum surfaces. Surface and Coatings Technology, 2024. 494: p. 131325. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfcoat.2024.131325.

Zhou, E., et al., Ice Adhesion on Superhydrophobic Micro-Nanostructure Surfaces, in Icephobic Materials for Anti/De-icing Technologies. 2024, Springer. p. 331-365. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-97-6293-4_9.

Zhou, W., et al., Superhydrophobic surfaces with excellent ice prevention and drag reduction properties inspired by iridaceae leaf. Langmuir, 2024. 40(13): p. 7192-7204. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c00333.

Chen, L., et al., Superamphiphobic Surfaces for Anti‐icing and De‐icing. Superamphiphobic Surfaces: Fabrication, Characterization, and Applications, 2025: p. 219-248. https://doi.org/10.1002/9783527847822.ch11.

Liu, Y., Research on a superhydrophobic coating of highly transparent wear-resistant inorganic/organic silicon composite resin. Coatings, 2021. 11(3): p. 338. https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings11030338.

Wang, Z., et al., A waterborne coating system for constructing inorganic-organic composite anti-corrosion and wear-resistant coating. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, 2024. 694: p. 134120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfa.2024.134120.

Chen, Z., et al., One-step fabrication of the wear-resistant superhydrophobic structure on SiCp/Al composite surface by WEDM. Surface and Coatings Technology, 2021. 409: p. 126876. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfcoat.2021.126876.

Sun, X., et al., One‐step fabrication of wear‐resistant superhydrophobic coating based on aminosilane‐functionalized diatomaceous earth. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 2021. 138(42): p. 51227. https://doi.org/10.1002/app.51227.

Lu, X., et al., Advance of self-cleaning separation membranes for oil-containing wastewater treatment. Environmental Functional Materials, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.efmat.2024.06.001.

Singh, A.K., Lipika, and R.R. Singhania, Nature‐Inspired Sustainable Superhydrophobic/Superoleophobic Coatings for Emulsified Oil/Water Separation. Functional Coatings: Innovations and Challenges, 2024: p. 338-364. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781394207305.ch12.

Ao, C., et al., Fabrication of lotus-leaf-like carbonized foams with superhydrophilicity for Oil/Water separation in complex environment. Chemical Engineering Science, 2024. 288: p. 119850. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ces.2024.119850.

Raeisi, M., et al., Superhydrophobic cotton fabrics coated by chitosan and titanium dioxide nanoparticles with enhanced antibacterial and UV-protecting properties. International journal of biological macromolecules, 2021. 171: p. 158-165. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.12.220.

Shi, T., et al., Innovative and cost-effective fabrication of fluorine-free superhydrophobic coating: Using polydimethylsiloxane/soil particles for surface modification. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, 2024. 694: p. 134237. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfa.2024.134237.

Cho, Y. and C.H. Park, Objective quantification of surface roughness parameters affecting superhydrophobicity. RSC advances, 2020. 10(52): p. 31251-31260. https://doi.org/10.1039/D0RA03137B.

Ubuo, E.E., et al., The direct cause of amplified wettability: roughness or surface chemistry? Journal of Composites Science, 2021. 5(8): p. 213. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcs5080213.

Mehralizadeh, A., S.R. Shabanian, and G. Bakeri, Effect of modified surfaces on bubble dynamics and pool boiling heat transfer enhancement: A review. Thermal Science and Engineering Progress, 2020. 15: p. 100451. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsep.2019.100451.

Eral, H.B., D. ’t Mannetje, and J.M. Oh, Contact angle hysteresis: a review of fundamentals and applications. Colloid and polymer science, 2013. 291: p. 247-260. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00396-012-2796-6

Marmur, A., The lotus effect: superhydrophobicity and metastability. Langmuir, 2004. 20(9): p. 3517-3519. https://doi.org/10.1021/la036369u.

Yao, W., et al., Superhydrophobic coatings for corrosion protection of magnesium alloys. Journal of Materials Science & Technology, 2020. 52: p. 100-118. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmst.2020.02.055.

Peng, F., et al., Recent progress in superhydrophobic coating on Mg alloys: A general review. Journal of Magnesium and Alloys, 2021. 9(5): p. 1471-1486. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jma.2020.08.024.

Zhu, Q., et al., Preparation and applications of superhydrophobic coatings on aluminum alloy surface for anti-corrosion and anti-fouling: a mini review. Coatings, 2023. 13(11): p. 1881. https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings13111881.

Li, B., et al., Recent progress in functionalized coatings for corrosion protection of magnesium alloys—a review. Materials, 2022. 15(11): p. 3912. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15113912.

Boinovich, L.B., K.A. Emelyanenko, and A.M. Emelyanenko, The mechanisms and advances in magnesium-based materials protection against corrosion by the superhydrophobic coatings. Surface and Coatings Technology, 2024. 481: p. 130607. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfcoat.2024.130607

Huang, H., et al., Preparation and Corrosion Resistance of Superhydrophobic Coatings on 7005 Aluminum Alloy. Coatings, 2024. 14(4): p. 499. https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings14040499.

Yang, Q., et al., The synthesis and mechanism of superhydrophobic coatings with multifunctional properties on aluminum alloys surface: a review. Progress in Organic Coatings, 2023. 184: p. 107875. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.porgcoat.2023.107875.

Joo, J., et al., Durable anti-corrosive oil-impregnated porous surface of magnesium alloy by plasma electrolytic oxidation with hydrothermal treatment. Applied Surface Science, 2020. 509: p. 145361. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2020.145361.

Jiang, D., et al., Fabrication of superhydrophobic coating on magnesium alloy with improved corrosion resistance by combining micro-arc oxidation and cyclic assembly. Surface and Coatings Technology, 2018. 339: p. 155-166. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfcoat.2018.02.001.

Khodaei, M. and S. Shadmani, Superhydrophobicity on aluminum through reactive-etching and TEOS/GPTMS/nano-Al2O3 silane-based nanocomposite coating. Surface and Coatings Technology, 2019. 374: p. 1078-1090. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfcoat.2019.06.074.

Wei, Z., et al., Combination of chemical etching and electrophoretic deposition for the fabrication of multi-scale superhydrophobic Al films. Materials Letters, 2017. 196: p. 115-118. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matlet.2017.03.024.

Zuo, Z., et al., Understanding the anti-icing property of nanostructured superhydrophobic aluminum surface during glaze ice accretion. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 2019. 133: p. 119-128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2018.12.092.

Zhao, Z., et al., Progress in mechanism design of functional composites for anti-ice/deicing materials. Surface Science and Technology, 2024. 2(1): p. 2. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44251-023-00033-2.

He, H. and Z. Guo, Superhydrophobic materials used for anti-icing Theory, application, and development. Iscience, 2021. 24(11). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci. 2021.103357.

Wang, P., et al., A passive anti-icing strategy based on a superhydrophobic mesh with extremely low ice adhesion strength. Journal of Bionic Engineering, 2021. 18: p. 55-64. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42235-021-0012-4.

Liang, K., et al., A novel anti-icing/deicing composite coating with superior anti-corrosion and self-healing capabilities for magnesium alloys. Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing, 2025. 193: p. 108861. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2025.108861.

Dai, L., et al., A multi-level biomimetic LDH coatings with super hydrophobicity, corrosion resistance, anti-icing and anti-fouling properties on magnesium alloy. Journal of Magnesium and Alloys, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jma.2025.04.012.

Sun, R., et al., Robust superhydrophobic aluminum alloy surfaces with anti-icing ability, thermostability, and mechanical durability. Progress in Organic Coatings, 2020. 147: p. 105745. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.porgcoat.2020.105745.

Feng, L., et al., Anti-icing/frosting and self-cleaning performance of superhydrophobic aluminum alloys. Applied Physics A, 2018. 124: p. 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-017-1509-x.

Zhan, Y., et al., Recent advances in antibacterial superhydrophobic coatings. Advanced Engineering Materials, 2022. 24(4): p. 2101053. https://doi.org/10.1002/adem.202101053.

Emelyanenko, A.M., et al., Antimicrobial activity and degradation of superhydrophobic magnesium substrates in bacterial media. Metals, 2021. 11(7): p. 1100. https://doi.org/10.3390/met11071100.

Mandal, P., et al., Bioinspired micro/nano structured aluminum with multifaceted applications. Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, 2022. 211: p. 112311. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfb.2021.112311.

Getaneh, S.A., et al., Advances in bioinspired superhydrophobic surface materials: A review on preparation, characterization and applications. Hybrid Advances, 2023. 3: p. 100077. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hybadv.2023.100077.

Zhang, H., et al., Hydroxyapatite/palmitic acid superhydrophobic composite coating on AZ31 magnesium alloy with both corrosion resistance and bacterial inhibition. Frontiers of Materials Science, 2024. 18(1): p. 240678. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11706-024-0678-8,

Xiong, W., et al., Laser–Chemical Surface Treatment for Enhanced Anti-Corrosion and Antibacterial Properties of Magnesium Alloy. Coatings, 2024. 14(3): p. 287. https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings14030287.

Li, Q., et al., Fabrication of superhydrophobic composite coating of hydroxyapatite/stearic acid on magnesium alloy and its corrosion resistance, antibacterial adhesion. Journal of Materials Science, 2021. 56: p. 5233-5249. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-020-05592-5.

Agbe, H., D.K. Sarkar, and X.-G. Chen, Tunable superhydrophobic aluminum surfaces with anti-biofouling and antibacterial properties. Coatings, 2020. 10(10): p. 982. https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings10100982.

Sultana, A., et al., Fabrication of stable ZnO/Zn–Al/Al2O3 superhydrophobic material on aluminum substrate for high photocatalytic and antibacterial activity. Chemical Papers, 2022. 76(8): p. 5159-5175. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11696-022-02237-6.

Xiong, Z., et al., Constructing a superhydrophobic coating of dual-metal (Mo, Ni) MOF on magnesium alloy surface with excellent corrosion resistance and tribological performance. Progress in Organic Coatings, 2025. 200: p. 109010. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.porgcoat.2024.109010.

Du, H., et al., Fabrication of superhydrophobic concrete with stable mechanical properties and self-cleaning properties. Journal of Building Engineering, 2023. 67: p. 105950. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2023.105950.

Cui, L., et al., Design of monolithic superhydrophobic concrete with excellent anti-corrosion and self-cleaning properties. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, 2024. 685: p. 133345. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfa.2024.133345.

Wu, X., et al., A flower-like waterborne coating with self-cleaning, self-repairing properties for superhydrophobic applications. Journal of Materials Research and Technology, 2021. 14: p. 1820-1829. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmrt.2021.07.096.

Wu, Y., et al., A review of self-cleaning technology to reduce dust and ice accumulation in photovoltaic power generation using superhydrophobic coating. Renewable Energy, 2022. 185: p. 1034-1061. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2021.12.123.

Zhao, T. and Z. Kang, Simultaneously fabricating multifunctional superhydrophobic/superoleophilic coatings by one-step electrodeposition method on cathodic and anodic magnesium surfaces. Journal of the Electrochemical Society, 2016. 163(10): p. D628. https://doi.org/10.1149/2.1231610jes.

Zhou, H., et al., Fabrication of ZnO/epoxy resin superhydrophobic coating on AZ31 magnesium alloy. Chemical Engineering Journal, 2019. 368: p. 261-272. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2019.02.032.

Su, W., et al., Robust, superhydrophobic aluminum fins with excellent mechanical durability and self-cleaning ability. Micromachines, 2023. 14(3): p. 704. https://doi.org/10.3390/mi14030704.

He, Z., et al., Superhydrophobic films with enhanced corrosion resistance and self-cleaning performance on an Al alloy. Langmuir, 2020. 37(1): p. 524-541. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.langmuir.0c03222.