ABSTRACT
Improving the hydrophobic properties of aluminum alloys is crucial for industry. In previous reports, researchers prepared superhydrophobic surfaces by fabricating micro-nanostructures on the metal surface with a nanosecond laser. However, no researchers have formed microquadrangular groove structures on the metal surface. In this article, inspired by the bamboo leaf, a microquadrangular structure is designed and processed using nanosecond laser technology to form a superhydrophobic functional surface. The effects of laser processing parameters, such as laser power, scanning speed, scanning time, defocus and fill spacing on the size, surface morphology features, and wettability of the microquadrangular structure, are investigated by a single-factor experimental method. The experimental results show the optimal size of the processed microquadrangular structure obtained from the experiment with an error of 1.28% from the design size, where the fill spacing has the greatest effect on the size and the scanning time, defocus, and fill spacing have great influence on the surface morphology. The contact angle of water drops on the surface can reach 154.7°, and the power has the greatest influence on the wettability. Laser parameters have distinct effects on the properties of the materials. Therefore, by regulation of the laser parameters, the formation of the microstructure can be availably controlled and the result of hydrophobicity can be achieved.
