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Superhydrophobic Interfaces and Surfaces: Preparation, Characterization, and Applications

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Thin Films and Interfaces".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 March 2026 | Viewed by 794

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Guest Editor
School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300401, China
Interests: energy storage materials; phase-change building materials; energy saving coatings; thermal management materials; functional composite materials and applications
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue of "Superhydrophobic Interfaces and Surfaces: Preparation, Characterization, and Applications" aims to collect high-quality original research articles or comprehensive reviews in this field. Through the intersection or integration of disciplines such as materials science, bionics, physical chemistry, and engineering interfaces, superhydrophobic materials that influence modern engineering applications are designed and manufactured to promote the cutting-edge development in this field. Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

  • Superhydrophobic or superoleophobic surface functional coatings, such as anti-frost, anti-ice, anti-fouling, anti-corrosion, etc.
  • New methods for the design and preparation of superhydrophobic biomimetic or micro-nano structural materials, such as photolithography, chemical etching, template replication, 3D/4D printing, etc.
  • New theories, phenomena, mechanisms, and applications of superhydrophobic solid-liquid interface materials, etc.

Best regards,

Prof. Dr. Kunjie Yuan
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • superhydrophobic surface construction
  • superhydrophobic interface design
  • new synthetic methods
  • innovation mechanisms
  • potential applications

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

16 pages, 3001 KB  
Article
Experimental and Simulation Investigation of Octadecyltriethoxysilane-Decorated Diatomaceous Earth Coatings with Enhanced Superhydrophobic and Self-Cleaning Properties
by Aijia Zhang, Nan Xiao, Kunjie Yuan and Wenbin Cao
Materials 2025, 18(17), 4209; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18174209 - 8 Sep 2025
Viewed by 592
Abstract
In this study, an effective diatomaceous earth (Dia)/octadecyltriethoxysilane (OTS)/epoxy resin (EP) with enhanced superhydrophobic and self-cleaning coating was prepared by spraying method, and the effect of OTS modification on the hydrophobicity of Dia materials was investigated through molecular dynamics computational simulation. The results [...] Read more.
In this study, an effective diatomaceous earth (Dia)/octadecyltriethoxysilane (OTS)/epoxy resin (EP) with enhanced superhydrophobic and self-cleaning coating was prepared by spraying method, and the effect of OTS modification on the hydrophobicity of Dia materials was investigated through molecular dynamics computational simulation. The results showed that the number of hydrogen bonds and electrostatic interaction energy between diatomite and water molecules were significantly reduced after OTS modification, which significantly enhanced the hydrophobicity of diatomite. The coating exhibits excellent superhydrophobic properties, with a contact angle of up to 152.3°, and has a wide range of applicability, being able to uniformly cover a wide range of substrate surfaces such as glass, wood, and aluminium panels. In addition, it demonstrates excellent self-cleaning capabilities, effectively removing surface contaminants. The mechanical and chemical stability of the coating has also been thoroughly investigated, and it remains superhydrophobic even after abrasion tests and shows excellent stability in acidic or alkaline corrosive environments. Molecular dynamics calculations further elucidated the reason for the change in hydrophobicity of the coatings in acidic and alkaline environments, revealing that the diffusion of water molecules slows down in alkaline environments and solid–liquid interactions are enhanced, resulting in a slight decrease in hydrophobicity. The results of this study not only provide new ideas for the low-cost and environmentally friendly preparation of superhydrophobic materials but also provide a solid theoretical basis and practical guidance for further optimising the material properties. Full article
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