MATHEMATICAL ANALYSIS OF THE STRUCTURE OF ULTRAHYDROPHOBIC SURFACES OBTAINED BY ATMOSPHERIC PLASMA SPRAYING OF ZIRCONIUM OXIDE. 1. INVESTIGATION OF 2D PROFILES

A geometry analysis has been conducted of 2D profi les of slices of coating surfaces produced by air plasma spraying of zirconium oxide ZrO₂ powder. Two scale levels of roughness of such surfaces have been identifi ed: mini- and microlevels. Correlation was detected between the ratio of the degree of roughness at these levels to the equilibrium wetting angle of a water drop. The possibility of producing superhydrophobic coatings with wetting angles exceeding 160^oC has been predicted.
   
Author:  A. P. Yankovskii, I. P. Gulyaev, O. B. Kovalev
Keywords:  air-plasma spraying, roughness, zirconium oxide, wetting angles, hydrophobicity, geometry analysis of a surface
Page:  1570