Texturing of superhydrophobic Ti6Al4V surfaces by dynamic water film assisted laser micromachining

Laser processing technology is commonly used to create superhydrophobic surfaces due to its simplicity, efficiency, and flexibility. However, conventional laser processing inevitably leads to thermal damage that affects the material properties. Here, a novel dynamic water film assisted laser micromachining (DWFALM) technique is demonstrated as a cost-effective method to achieve texturing of titanium alloy surfaces for superhydrophobicity. Compared to pure laser processing, the thermal damage on the surfaces processed by the DWFALM technique was significantly reduced. The effects of different laser single-pulse energies and scanning spacing on the microstructure and wettability were investigated. The transition in wettability from superhydrophilic to superhydrophobic was explored. The results indicated that the contact angle stabilized at approximately 154° after 43 days. Additionally, the simulation results closely matched the droplet impact process. The textured superhydrophobic Ti6Al4V surfaces produced by DWFALM have a wide range of potential applications in anti-icing, heat transfer, and droplet manipulation.