Biomimetic Superhydrophobic Concrete with Enhanced Anticorrosive, Freeze Thaw, and Deicing Resistance.

A green superhydrophobic hybridization concept that incorporates biomimetics (lotus effect), chemistry (siloxane and silane admixtures), and nanotechnology (hydrophobic coating with SiO2 nanoparticles) is used to produce superhydrophobic concrete. The fabricated samples exhibit superior hydrophobicity, contact angles (CA) up to 157.6° ± 3.1°, and roll‐off angles (RO) of 6.5° ± 1.5°, even under high surface mechanical abrasion. The superhydrophobic samples can decrease freeze‐thaw damage and maintain high freeze‐thaw resistance effectively. The modified surfaces exhibit 6 times lower deicing strength compared with the reference surfaces. Furthermore, the high water repellency helps to prevent corrosive liquids from encountering the concrete reinforcement samples and helps to improve the corrosion resistance of steel bars. These unique key properties and self‐cleaning capability make superhydrophobic concrete relevant for a wide range of commercial and practical engineering applications in construction, bridges, and transportation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]