Low cost and facile preparation of robust multifunctional coatings with self-healing superhydrophobicity and high conductivity

Abstract Superhydrophobic and conductive multifunctional coatings have been receiving great attention in recent years due to their wide potential applications. Nevertheless, a simple and cost-effective approach is still lacked. Herein, photocatalytic TiO2 nanoparticles and graphite particles were blended with fluorinated polysiloxane and methyltris(methylethylketoxime)silane, and followed by simply spraying onto various substrates for superhydrophobic functionalization under ambient-drying, in which the graphite particles and TiO2 nanoparticles could not only lead to the micro/nano-roughness structures for coatings but also endow the coatings with the conductivity and photocatalysis. These as-prepared coatings are not only superhydrophobic but also have the high conductivity. They also can be coated on the fabrics for the oil/water separation and deposited on flammable objects as the fire-shielding layer. This multifunctional coating is robust under the external taped or pressed forces and very stable whether in the acid-alkali and salty environment or during long hours of UV irradiation. And most of all, this coating could repair its superhydrophobicity even after mechanically abraded or polluted with organics. The design and fabrication of this multifunctional coating may find immediate usage in a wide range of areas.