ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING OF SUPERHYDROPHOBIC STAINLESS STEEL COMPOSITES

As manufacturing technology continues to improve, the Navy can benefit from the use of novel materials that prevent corrosion, decrease drag on ships, and decrease hydrodynamic noise as platforms move through the water. This research studied the development of materials that achieve these goals by demonstrating superhydrophobic surface behaviors. Composite materials made up of 316L stainless steel powders and various concentrations of boron nitride nanotubes (BNNT) were mixed and printed via laser powder directed energy deposition (LP-DED). The additively manufactured surfaces were meant to mimic naturally occurring hydrophobic surfaces. Material characterization was conducted using contact angle analysis of water droplet tests, imaging of the powder and solid coupons in a scanning electron microscope (SEM), powder x-ray diffraction (XRD), and optical profilometry. Although the composites were successfully mixed and printed, it was found that the surfaces remained hydrophilic due to the macroscopic nature of the surface roughness created through the LP-DED printing process. The basis for this research was promising and the continuing development of additive manufacturing technologies can lead to mass production of superhydrophobic surfaces using hierarchically structured geometries in functionally graded materials.

Department dc:contributor.department

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE)

Grantor dc:publisher

Monterey, CA; Naval Postgraduate School

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Levine, Samuel D.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Ansell, Troy

Statement dc:rights

• This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10945/74118

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:calhoun.nps.edu:10945/74118