Development of Robust Superhydrophobic Corrosion-Resistant Ni-WS2 Composite Coating by Electrodeposition

Abstract

The demand for high-performance materials with enhanced surface properties has grown significantly in various industrial sectors, including aerospace, automotive, marine, and energy. In the present work, a robust, superhydrophobic Ni-WS2 coating was successfully developed through a scalable single-step electrodeposition process. Scanning Electron Microscopic analysis of Ni-WS2 coated substrate surface showed a protruding rough surface comprising micro-nano pyramidal and conical nodular structures. By optimizing WS2 concentration and deposition parameters, a hierarchical surface with a higher Water Contact Angle (WCA) of 159° was achieved and the coating is superhydrophobic. Due to the combined effect of superhydrophobicity and barrier effect of WS2, the composite coating demonstrated exceptional corrosion resistance in comparison to the bare mild steel substrate and pure nickel coated mild steel.