Nanostructured Superhydrophobic Coatings—Fundamentals to Applications
A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Synthesis, Interfaces and Nanostructures".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 April 2026 | Viewed by 18
Special Issue Editor
Interests: surface coating; micro-/nanomaterials; surface wettability; anti-icing; corrosion-resistance; multifunctional coating materials; superhydrophobic/hydrophilic surfaces; bio-inspired coating; gas sensors
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Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Superhydrophobic coatings, inspired by natural surfaces such as lotus leaves and insect wings, have attracted significant scientific and industrial attention over the past two decades. These surfaces, characterized by water contact angles (WCAs) greater than 150° and low sliding angles, are primarily enabled by combining micro-/nanostructures with low-surface-energy materials. Today, superhydrophobic coatings are applied across diverse fields, including anti-icing, corrosion resistance, drag reduction, oil–water separation, and biomedical devices. Despite remarkable progress, challenges such as mechanical robustness, environmental sustainability, and cost-effective large-scale manufacturing remain active areas of investigation.
The goal of this Special Issue is to provide a comprehensive platform highlighting recent advances in the fabrication, characterization, and application of superhydrophobic coatings. By bridging fundamental understanding with practical applications, this Issue aims to capture the state of the art, research trends, and future directions within the field. The Special Issue will cover research on fabrication methods, surface durability, functional integration (e.g., photothermal, anti-icing, antibacterial properties), and large-scale industrial applications. Particular emphasis will be placed on strategies that translate nanoscale innovations into real-world performance, addressing the challenges of durability, scalability, and multifunctionality.
Recent breakthroughs demonstrate the potential of nanostructured superhydrophobic coatings to move beyond simple water repellency toward multifunctional, intelligent surfaces. For example, the integration of photothermal or self-healing mechanisms has enabled surfaces that not only repel water but also actively prevent icing or repair minor damages. Advances in hybrid nanomaterials, such as carbon-based nanostructures, metal oxides, and polymer composites, are opening pathways for robust, eco-friendly coatings with extended lifetimes. Additionally, progress in additive manufacturing and green chemistry has made scalable production more feasible, facilitating industrial translation.
We invite original research articles and comprehensive reviews that focus on both the fundamental and applied aspects of superhydrophobic coatings. Contributions should highlight novel fabrication strategies, advanced characterization techniques, emerging multifunctional applications, and pathways toward commercialization. Papers discussing challenges such as durability, sustainability, and large-scale applicability are particularly welcome, and interdisciplinary submissions at the interface of materials science, surface engineering, nanotechnology, and applied physics are strongly encouraged.
Prof. Dr. Sumit Barthwal
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- nanomaterials
- nano-coating
- superhydrophobic
- self-cleaning coatings
- bio-inspired coatings
- corrosion-resistant
- anti-icing coatings
- self-healing
- anti-bacterial
- applications of nano-coatings
- durable coating
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