https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cirp.2019.04.101

Guo, C., Koshy, P., Coelho, F., & Selvaganapathy, P. R. (2019). Sink electrical discharge machining of hydrophobic surfaces. CIRP Annals, 68(1), 185-188. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cirp.2019.04.101

The phenomenon of hydrophobicity observed in such surfaces as lotus leaves is typically manifest by hierarchical structures on low-energy surfaces. Sustained interest in fabricating hydrophobic surfaces has resulted in a myriad of processes, which are but limited by their largely referring to soft materials and/or involving multiple process steps. The present work explored the application of electrical discharge machining (EDM) for the single-step manufacture of durable, metallic hydrophobic surfaces. Simple sink EDM in a hydrocarbon dielectric, with no special process kinematic or tooling requirements, is demonstrated to rapidly generate surfaces that are intrinsically water repellent, with contact angles approaching 150°.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cirp.2019.04.101