Effect of the specific surface topography on surface wettability of chromium-based coatings

ABSTRACT

Surfaces featuring hydrophobic behaviour are generally prepared by a wide spectrum of technologies featuring different process complexity (anodic oxidation, lithography, electrodepositing, etc.). The aim of the work was to use a relatively simple method of magnetron sputtering to prepare metallic hydrophobic surface. Chromium coatings were selected due to their high adhesion to steel and corrosion resistance while conserving certain level of hardness and ductility. The tested coatings included pure Cr and pure Cr with CrN interlayer. The resulting contact angle value of up to 111° has confirmed hydrophobic behaviour. The resulting surface morphology is formed by almost perfectly developed crystals in the shape of hexagonal pyramids providing a suitable surface roughness conditions for hydrophobicity.

KEYWORDS:

• Functional
• chromium
• wettability
• crystal structure
• sputtering
• contact angle

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Ladislav Cvrček http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6460-3615

Jan Krčil http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5746-7651

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by ESIF, EU Operational Program Research, Development and Education and from the Center of Advanced Aerospace Technology (CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/16_019/0000826), Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague and by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport of the Czech Republic (NPU1, project No.LO1207).