A Biomimetically Constructed Superhydrophobic Coating with Excellent Mechanical Durability and Chemical Stability for Gas Transmission Pipelines

Inspired by the layered structure of dental enamel in the human body, a superhydrophobic coating with an elastic gradient was developed and placed on the inner wall of a gas transmission pipeline to reduce erosion and corrosion. The coating comprises a hard bionic superhydrophobic top coating and a hydrogel layer underneath for buffering and self-repair. To improve the impact resistance of the top coating, layered structures with different viscoelasticities were constructed by controlling the content of lauric acid (LA)@TiO 2 particles and carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The amylose hydrogel underlayer not only acts as a shock absorber but also restores potential damage in the top layer, bringing an additional benefit to the corrosion resistance of the coating. Thanks to these three cooperative approaches, the coating exhibits excellent mechanical durability (800 cycles with 600-mesh sandpaper under a 49 kPa load) and corrosion resistance (with a corrosion potential of −0.21 V). Moreover, it maintains its superhydrophobicity after sanding, bending, soaking, and scratching, demonstrating its potential for application to protect transmission pipelines from erosion and corrosion.