Fabrication of Superhydrophobic Carbon Fiber via Laser Interference

This paper proposes a method of fabricating micro/nanostructures on stainless steel surfaces using direct laser interference lithography, followed by template hot pressing. This method leaves micro/nanometric structures on carbon fibers, which, after treatment with fluorosilane, can construct robust carbon fibers with excellent mechanical properties and superhydrophobic performance on a stainless steel substrate. The novelty of this method lies in the simplicity of the preparation process and the powerful superhydrophobic capability of the carbon fibers, which can be produced on a large scale. This solves the issues of high preparation costs, complex processes, inherent performance degradation, and difficulties in mass production inherent in traditional fabrication techniques. The results demonstrate that the superhydrophobic capability of the carbon fibers prepared using this method is significantly improved compared to untreated surfaces, with contact angles reaching up to 164°