An eco-friendly and stable superhydrophobic coating fabricated from modified polyethylene wax

The preparation of water-based, fluorine-free superhydrophobic coatings is of significant importance to the environment. Herein, a series of environmentally friendly products derived from polyethylene wax (PEW) were developed. Initially, polyethylene wax was melt-grafted with itaconic acid (IA) monomers; the resulting grafted product was then used as the oil phase to prepare a water-based emulsion through high-pressure emulsification. Subsequently, alkyl siloxane and hydrophilic nano-silica were incorporated into the emulsion. The interaction between alkyl siloxane and emulsion particles forms an effective bridge connecting organic and inorganic components, while the nano-silica was hydrophobically modified via a coupling reaction. Finally, the mixture was applied to various substrates using a four-sided coating device. Experimental results demonstrate that the composite coating exhibits excellent superhydrophobicity, corrosion resistance, and UV resistance. These results provide new insights for the novel application of polyethylene wax and the development of environmentally friendly superhydrophobic coatings.