Development of a Durable Superhydrophobic EP/PDMS Coating Reinforced with Micro-CaCO₃ and Nano-ZnO for Enhanced Corrosion Protection and Multifunctional Performance on Carbon Steel

Open Access

Year : 2026 | Volume : 14 | Issue : 01 | Page : 216 238
    By

    Nurul Nabila Binti Mohd Din,

  • Norhasnidawani Binti Johari,

  • Mohd Aidy Faizal Bin Johari,

  • Noor Azlina Binti Hassan,

  • Abd Halim Bin Md Ali,

  • Rizal Arifin,

  1. Postgraduate Student, Engineering Materials and Structures (EMaSt), Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Jalan Sultan Yahya Petra, Kuala Lumpur, , Malaysia
  2. Senior Lecturer, Department of Mechanical Precision Engineering (MPE), Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Jalan Sultan Yahya Petra, Kuala Lumpur, , Malaysia
  3. Postgraduate Student, Engineering Materials and Structures (EMaSt), Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Jalan Sultan Yahya Petra, Kuala Lumpur, , Malaysia
  4. Associate Professor, Department of Manufacturing and Materials Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), Jalan Gombak, Kuala Lumpur, , Malaysia
  5. Senior Lecturer, Malaysia-Japan Advanced Research Centre (MJARC), Malaysia- Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Jalan Sultan Yahya Petra, Kuala Lumpur, , Malaysia
  6. Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Muhammadiyah Ponorogo, Jl. Budi Utomo No. 10 Ponorogo, , Indonesia

Abstract

Balancing exceptional multifunctional performance with mechanical robustness in micro-nano composite films remains a significant challenge for practical applications. In this work, a superhydrophobic coating reinforced with micro-CaCO₃ and nano-ZnO particles was fabricated through a versatile single-step brushing method. The optimized EP/PDMS@micro-CaCO₃/nano-ZnO coating achieved a water contact angle (WCA) of 173.54° ± 2.53° and a sliding angle (SA) of 1.50° ± 1.12°. Owing to its carefully engineered micro-nano hierarchical structure, the coating exhibited outstanding friction coefficient reduction efficiency of 76.2% and mechanical durability Furthermore, the coating demonstrated superior anti-pollution properties, self-cleaning capability, substrate versatility, thermal stability, and anti-icing performance. Electrochemical evaluations revealed that the coating provided corrosion protection efficiency exceeding 99% in a 3.5 wt% NaCl solution, indicating substantially enhanced corrosion resistance. The results demonstrate that the modified CaCO₃  – ZnO nanoparticles do not merely function as surface roughness generators but actively reinforce the polymer matrix by enhancing interfacial bonding and suppressing nanoparticle pull-out during mechanical abrasion. The incorporation of PDMS further contributes to stress absorption while maintaining low surface energy, enabling sustained superhydrophobicity under repeated mechanical, chemical, and thermal exposure. This study provides new mechanistic insight into the durability of CaCO₃-based superhydrophobic coatings and shifts the focus of superhydrophobic coating design from short-term repellency performance toward durability-driven material engineering. The findings offer a viable strategy for developing robust superhydrophobic coatings suitable for marine atmospheric corrosion protection applications. The intrinsic properties of micro-CaCO₃/nano-ZnO particles, along with their highly ordered assembly within the coating, present a promising and effective strategy for the design and fabrication of multifunctional, all-in-one composite films.

Keywords: Superhydrophobic coating, Micro-CaCO3/ nano-ZnO, Mechanical robustness durability, wear/corrosion resistance

[This article belongs to Journal of Polymer & Composites ]

How to cite this article:
Nurul Nabila Binti Mohd Din, Norhasnidawani Binti Johari, Mohd Aidy Faizal Bin Johari, Noor Azlina Binti Hassan, Abd Halim Bin Md Ali, Rizal Arifin. Development of a Durable Superhydrophobic EP/PDMS Coating Reinforced with Micro-CaCO₃ and Nano-ZnO for Enhanced Corrosion Protection and Multifunctional Performance on Carbon Steel. Journal of Polymer & Composites. 2026; 14(01):216-238.
How to cite this URL:
Nurul Nabila Binti Mohd Din, Norhasnidawani Binti Johari, Mohd Aidy Faizal Bin Johari, Noor Azlina Binti Hassan, Abd Halim Bin Md Ali, Rizal Arifin. Development of a Durable Superhydrophobic EP/PDMS Coating Reinforced with Micro-CaCO₃ and Nano-ZnO for Enhanced Corrosion Protection and Multifunctional Performance on Carbon Steel. Journal of Polymer & Composites. 2026; 14(01):216-238. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/jopc/article=2026/view=236610


Browse Figures

References

  1. Desai PD, Pawar CB, Avhad MS, More AP. Corrosion inhibitors for carbon steel: A review. Vietnam J Chem. 2022;61(1):15–42. doi:10.1002/vjch.202200111.
  2. Santulli C, Palanisamy S, Kalimuthu M. Pineapple fibers, their composites and applications. In: Elsevier eBooks. 2022. p. 323–346. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-824528-6.00007-2.
  3. Kania H. Corrosion and anticorrosion of alloys/metals: The important global issue. 2023;13(2):216. doi:10.3390/coatings13020216.
  4. Liang Y, Du Y, Zhu Z, Chen L, Liu Y, Zhang L, et al. Investigation on AC corrosion of aluminum alloy sacrificial anode in the artificial simulated seawater environment. Electrochim Acta. 2023;446:142002. doi:10.1016/j.electacta.2023.142002.
  5. Km S, Praveen B, Devendra BK. A review on corrosion inhibitors: Types, mechanisms, electrochemical analysis, corrosion rate and efficiency of corrosion inhibitors on mild steel in an acidic environment. Results Surf Interfaces. 2024;16:100258. doi:10.1016/j.rsurfi.2024.100258.
  6. Li G, Ma F, Liu P, Qi S, Li W, Zhang K, et al. Review of micro-arc oxidation of titanium alloys: Mechanism, properties and applications. J Alloys Compd. 2023;948:169773. doi:10.1016/j.jallcom.2023.169773.
  7. Nazari MH, Zhang Y, Mahmoodi A, Xu G, Yu J, Wu J, et al. Nanocomposite organic coatings for corrosion protection of metals: A review of recent advances. Prog Org Coat. 2021;162:106573. doi:10.1016/j.porgcoat.2021.106573.
  8. Hu K, Chen Y, Wu D, Tang B, Tao Y, Chen Q. Efficient condensation on spiked surfaces with superhydrophobic and superhydrophilic coatings. Int J Heat Mass Transf. 2025;246:127055. doi:10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2025.127055.
  9. Wu Y, Du J, Liu G, Ma D, Jia F, Klemeš JJ, et al. A review of self-cleaning technology to reduce dust and ice accumulation in photovoltaic power generation using superhydrophobic coating. Renew Energy. 2021;185:1034–1061. doi:10.1016/j.renene.2021.12.123.
  10. Gupta R, Verma R, Kango S, Constantin A, Kharia P, Saini R, et al. A critical review on recent progress, open challenges, and applications of corrosion-resistant superhydrophobic coating. Mater Today Commun. 2022;34:105201. doi:10.1016/j.mtcomm.2022.105201.
  11. Huang W, Huang J, Guo Z, Liu W. Icephobic/anti-icing properties of superhydrophobic surfaces. Adv Colloid Interface Sci. 2022;304:102658. doi:10.1016/j.cis.2022.102658.
  12. Fakhri M, Rezaee B, Pakzad H, Moosavi A. Facile, scalable, and low-cost superhydrophobic coating for frictional drag reduction with anti-corrosion property. Tribol Int. 2022;178:108091. doi:10.1016/j.triboint.2022.108091.
  13. Chu H, Liu Z, Ji T, Yang C, Xu N. Recent advances in the preparation of superhydrophobic coatings based on low-surface-energy modifiers: Diversified properties and potential applications. Appl Therm Eng. 2024;251:123591. doi:10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2024.123591.
  14. TP R, Philip J. Optimal condition for fabricating mechanically durable superhydrophobic titanium surface by rapid breakdown anodization: Self-cleaning and bouncing characteristics. Appl Surf Sci. 2024;585:152628. doi:10.1016/j.apsusc.2022.152628.
  15. Wang X, Wang B, Yang W, Zhao Q, Xu Z, Yan W. Fabrication of stable and versatile superhydrophobic PTFE coating by simple electrodeposition on metal surface. Prog Org Coat. 2022;172:107090. doi:10.1016/j.porgcoat.2022.107090.
  16. Yong J, Yang Q, Hou X, Chen F. Nature-inspired superwettability achieved by femtosecond lasers. Ultrafast Sci. doi:10.34133/2022/9895418.
  17. Aziz MHA, Othman MHD, Tavares JR, Pauzan MAB, Tenjimbayashi M, Lun AW, et al. Self-cleaning and anti-fouling superhydrophobic hierarchical ceramic surface synthesized from hydrothermal and fluorination methods. Appl Surf Sci. 2022;598:153702. doi:10.1016/j.apsusc.2022.153702.
  18. Zhu S, Deng W, Su Y. Recent advances in preparation of metallic superhydrophobic surface by chemical etching and its applications. Chin J Chem Eng. 2023;61:221–236. doi:10.1016/j.cjche.2023.02.018.
  19. Goutham ERS, Hussain SS, Muthukumar C, Krishnasamy S, Kumar TSM, Santulli C, et al. Drilling parameters and post-drilling residual tensile properties of natural-fiber-reinforced composites: A review. J Compos Sci. 2023;7(4):136. doi:10.3390/jcs7040136.
  20. He P, Qu J, Li S, Sun R, Huang K, Zhao J, et al. Study on the construction of durable superhydrophobic coatings using simple spray coating method and their underwater drag reduction performance. Colloids Surf A. 2024;701:134858. doi:10.1016/j.colsurfa.2024.134858.
  21. Wang Y, Ge-Zhang S, Mu P, Wang X, Li S, Qiao L, et al. Advances in sol–gel-based superhydrophobic coatings for wood: A review. Int J Mol Sci. 2023;24(11):9675. doi:10.3390/ijms24119675.
  22. Liu M, Wang S, Jiang L. Nature-inspired superwettability systems. Nat Rev Mater. 2017;2(7). doi:10.1038/natrevmats.2017.36.
  23. Peng J, Yuan S, Geng H, Zhang X, Zhang M, Xu F, et al. Robust and multifunctional superamphiphobic coating toward effective anti-adhesion. Chem Eng J. 2021;428:131162. doi:10.1016/j.cej.2021.131162.
  24. Karuppiah G, Kuttalam KC, Palaniappan M, Santulli C, Palanisamy S. Multiobjective optimization of fabrication parameters of jute fiber/polyester composites with egg shell powder and nanoclay filler. 2020;25(23):5579. doi:10.3390/molecules25235579.
  25. Aruchamy K, Karuppusamy M, Krishnakumar S, Palanisamy S, Jayamani M, Sureshkumar K, et al. Enhancement of mechanical properties of hybrid polymer composites using palmyra palm and coconut sheath fibers: The role of tamarind shell powder. 2024;20(1):698–724. doi:10.15376/biores.20.1.698-724.
  26. Palanisamy S, Mayandi K, Dharmalingam S, Rajini N, Santulli C, Mohammad F, et al. Tensile properties and fracture morphology of Acacia caesia bark fibers treated with different alkali concentrations. J Nat Fibers. 2022;19(15):11258–11269. doi:10.1080/15440478.2021.2022562.
  27. Yap SW, Johari N, Mazlan SA, Ahmad SNAS, Arifin R, Hassan NA, et al. Superhydrophobic zinc oxide/epoxy coating prepared by a one-step approach for corrosion protection of carbon steel. J Mater Res Technol. 2023;25:5751–5766. doi:10.1016/j.jmrt.2023.07.013.
  28. Yang H, Dong Y, Li X, Gao Y, He W, Liu Y, et al. Development of a mechanically robust superhydrophobic anti-corrosion coating using micro-hBN/nano-Al₂O₃ with multifunctional properties. Ceram Int. doi:10.1016/j.ceramint.2024.11.027.
  29. Wang Y, Wu M, Wang J, Huang J, Yang K, Miao X, et al. The addition of SiO₂–GO hybrid material enhanced the tribological properties of fluorocarbon resin in marine corrosive environments. Mater Today Commun. 2024;39:108676. doi:10.1016/j.mtcomm.2024.108676.
  30. Farh HMH, Seghier MEAB, Zayed TA. A comprehensive review of corrosion protection and control techniques for metallic pipelines. Eng Fail Anal. 2022;143:106885. doi:10.1016/j.engfailanal.2022.106885.
  31. McGuire SC, Ebrahim AM, Hurley N, Zhang L, Frenkel AI, Wong SS. Reconciling structure prediction of alloyed, ultrathin nanowires with spectroscopy. Chem Sci. 2021;12(20):7158–7173. doi:10.1039/D1SC00627D.
  32. Ayrilmis N, Kanat G, Avsar EY, Palanisamy S, Ashori A. Utilizing waste manhole covers and fibreboard as reinforcing fillers for thermoplastic composites. J Reinf Plast Compos. 2024;44(17–18):1108–1118. doi:10.1177/07316844241238507.
  33. Barthwal S, Lim S. A durable, fluorine-free, and repairable superhydrophobic aluminum surface with hierarchical micro/nanostructures and its application for continuous oil–water separation. J Membr Sci. 2020;618:118716. doi:10.1016/j.memsci.2020.118716.
  34. Bhaumik S, Chowdhury D, Batham A, Sehgal U, Ghosh C, Bhattacharya B, et al. Analysing the frictional properties of micro-dimpled surface created by milling machine under lubricated condition. Tribol Int. 2020;146:106260. doi:10.1016/j.triboint.2020.106260.
  35. Qin X, Kong L, Wang J, Liu M, Lu S, Wang X, et al. Double-layer with electroactive and superhydrophobicity based on polymer nanotubes to improve robustness and anti-corrosion performances. Chem Eng J. 2024;488:150928. doi:10.1016/j.cej.2024.150928.
Regular Issue Open Access Original Research
Volume 14
Issue 01
Received 08/01/2026
Accepted 16/01/2026
Published 27/01/2026
Publication Time 19 Days
98

Login


My IP

PlumX Metrics