Polystyrene coated slippery pipe for drag reduction

Transport of oil, water, and natural gas through pipeline has attracted significant research attention due to its efficiency compared to other traditional methods. However, fluid transport pipelines experience considerable energy losses caused by frictional pressure drop and drag, which require substantial energy costs. This pressure drop originates from frictional drag between the flowing fluid and the inner wall of the pipeline. To address this issue, a novel slippery surface inspired by nature—slippery lubricant-infused surface (SLIS)—developed via direct coating of a polystyrene (PS) solution in chloroform on the inner surface of an aluminum (Al) pipe. The resultant surface exhibits excellent drag reduction performance under turbulent flow conditions. The successful formation of a thin PS film is confirmed by a field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), which analyze surface morphology and chemical composition. As a result, the developed slippery aluminum pipe reduces frictional drag approximately 33.0%. Furthermore, the PS modified Al surface also exhibits anticorrosion and antifouling properties, indicating its potential for long-term operation in fluid transport pipeline. These results collectively highlight the strong potential of the proposed slippery aluminum pipe in practical underwater applications. • Slippery liquid-infused PS-coated aluminum pipe developed for drag reduction • Optimized coating parameters increases surface smoothness and reduces frictional pressure drop. • The coating achieves ∼33% drag reduction under turbulent flow in pipeline system. • The lubricant-infused PS layer exhibits excellent anti-corrosion and antifouling stability. • It demonstrates a simple and durable coating approach for pipeline applications.