About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2026 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Advances in Surface Engineering VIII
|
| Presentation Title |
Nanosecond Laser-based Surface Engineering for Extreme Wettability-driven Long-term Corrosion Protection of Aluminum Alloys |
| Author(s) |
Ahnaf Sadi, Prakirti Singh, Christopher Alexander, Avik Samanta |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Ahnaf Sadi |
| Abstract Scope |
A PFAS-free superhydrophobic surface with enhanced corrosion resistance is developed on AA6061 using cost-effective nanosecond laser texturing followed by chemical surface modification. The resulting surface morphology features dual-scale structures, microscale textures overlaid with submicron features. Surface chemistry confirms the absence of fluorinated compounds. The engineered surface exhibits a water contact angle of ~160°, a roll-off angle of ~2°, and an 83% reduction in surface energy compared to the untreated surface. Electrochemical analysis reveals a three-order-of-magnitude increase in impedance magnitude and significantly improved resistance to pitting under anodic polarization. The improved performance is attributed to the synergistic effects of laser-induced oxide-rich topography and superhydrophobic surface passivation. Detailed SEM and XPS analyses confirm the structural and chemical attributes responsible for long-term stability. This environmentally sustainable and scalable approach provides a promising corrosion protection solution for aluminum alloys in harsh marine, aerospace, and transportation environments characterized by exposure to saline environments. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Aluminum, Other, Other |