Bio-inspired self-healing slippery surfaces with smart multifunctionality on Mg–Li alloys

Influenced by pitcher plants, the creation of a novel biomimetic surface–possessing non-wetting, robust, and durable, coupled with intelligent reversibility–holds significant potential for widespread applications in revolutionizing metal corrosion protection. This study utilized a combination of in-situ growth and chemical modification techniques to achieve slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces (SLIPS) with biomimetic properties on Mg–Li alloy surfaces exhibiting a water contact angle of 122 ± 2° and a sliding angle of 6 ± 2°. The resulting SLIPS possessed antifouling, self-cleaning, self-healing, impact, durability, and corrosion resistance, as well as bonding to the substrate. The coating offered a multifunctional protective barrier for Mg–Li alloys, which could skillfully reverse superhydrophobicity and slipperiness as needed, augmenting the corrosion resistance of Mg–Li alloys while broadening their potential applications. Simultaneously, the formation mechanism of the prepared coatings was discussed in-depth. Notably, there is a scarcity of reports on the corrosion protection of Mg–Li alloys by SLIPS. The as-prepared SLIPS coating can also be extended to protect other materials, fulfilling novel needs in diverse fields such as biomedical fluid handling, antifouling, and self-cleaning windows.