What is the theoretical model for the anti-corrosion and hydrophobic coating applied to evaporators?

　　The wetting properties of liquids on solid surfaces are often described by the Young equation. A large contact angle between a water droplet and a solid surface indicates poor wettability and strong hydrophobicity, while a smaller contact angle suggests good wettability and higher affinity for the liquid. Moreover, the hydrophobic nature of a solid surface is closely linked to its surface energy—lower surface energy typically results in a larger static water contact angle, with angles exceeding 90 degrees, clearly demonstrating hydrophobic behavior.

　　What are the applications of anti-corrosion and hydrophobic coatings used on evaporators?

　　When certain components of the anti-corrosive, hydrophobic coating applied to evaporators have surface energies that differ significantly from those of other materials, the paint tends to separate during the curing process—resulting in a self-layering effect. Self-layering coatings are formulated as multi-component systems, combining film-forming materials with distinct properties. When applied in a single layer onto the substrate, these coatings spontaneously undergo phase separation and material redistribution as the medium evaporates or cures, ultimately creating a gradient coating that gradually evolves in performance—much like a multi-layered coating system.

　　The coating formation mechanism varies depending on the polymer's polarity, intermolecular forces, and solubility in the medium—making it a thermodynamically unstable system. As the coating dries and hardens, the composition of the medium continuously evolves. Consequently, immiscible film-forming resins, driven by gradients in interfacial tension, selectively wet the substrate while simultaneously exhibiting differential behavior at the gas-liquid interface, ultimately leading to directional fluid flow.

　　The evaporator-coated anti-corrosion hydrophobic coating features a dual-microscopic, specialized hydrophobic layer.

　　Barthlott and Neihuist observed the surfaces of plant leaves, such as lotus leaves, and discovered that these surfaces are covered with numerous micrometer-scale protrusions and low-lying wax crystals, giving the lotus leaf its ultra-superhydrophobic, self-cleaning properties. In recent years, in-depth studies of the lotus leaf's superhydrophobic performance have revealed that nanoscale branched structures are distributed within the micrometer-sized papillae on the leaf surface. This unique dual-microstructure enables the lotus leaf to exhibit an exceptionally high contact angle, effectively preventing water droplets from spreading across the surface—and instead allowing them to roll off effortlessly in a spherical shape, even at very shallow angles.

　　Nano-materials-based stain-resistant coating

　　The unique surface properties of nanomaterials are being widely used—and have garnered significant attention—in architectural paints. Adding nanomaterials enhances the hardness and water resistance of coatings, while also improving their resistance to dirt and contamination.