A multifunctional aviation aluminum alloy with good superhydrophobicity and corrosion resistance was prepared by a two-step process of etching followed by polymer modification. Meanwhile, micro- and nanostructures formed on the processed sample. Compared with bare sample, the static liquid contact angle on the as-prepared sample was increased by 100.8°. Further polarization tests showed that the corrosion potential of such a sample increased, and the corrosion current density decreased obviously, thus suggesting that the corrosion resistance of the modified sample was significantly improved. The same conclusion was confirmed by subsequent impedance testing. The work is of great economic value and practical significance to enhance the corrosion resistance of aviation actuator materials and also lays a foundation for future hydrophobic application research in aeronautical engineering.

Corrosion failure is a thorny issue that restricts the applications of Al alloys. As a research hotspot in functional realization, hydrophobic fabrication exactly offers an efficient method to settle metallic corrosions. This work has developed a facile and low-cost method to enhance corrosion resistance of Al alloys. The micro-nano dendrites have been firstly prepared on metallic substrate using one-step potentiostatic deposition. Then, wetting and electrochemical behaviors have been systematically investigated after stearic acid modification. Results show that the as-prepared surface possesses amplified and durable water repellence with an apparent contact angle (CA) of 154.2° and a sliding angle (SA) of 4.7°. Meanwhile, owing to the trapped air in dendrites, the newly-generated solid-air-liquid interfaces help to resist seawater penetration by reducing interfacial interactions on the super-hydrophobic surface as well as significantly enhance its corrosion resistance. This work sheds positive insights into extending the applications of Al alloys in many areas, especially for ocean engineering fields.