Resolving the liquid repellency–mechanical durability trade-off via a biomimetic nacre-like superamphiphobic architecture

Abstract

Superamphiphobic (SAP) and superhydrophobic (SH) coatings often suffer from poor mechanical robustness, leading to a fundamental trade-off between liquid repellency and abrasion resistance. Here, we report a biomimetic multilayered coating inspired by nacre, constructed via cyclic spray deposition of resin and SAP or SH functional SiO2 nanoparticle (NP). This architecture forms a vertically redundant “brick–mortar” structure with a self-similar interpenetrated structure. The resulting coatings exhibit stable water and oil repellency (CA > 150°, SA < 10°) across diverse substrates including glass, Al sheet, and cement. Unlike conventional single-layer and one-cycle primer–topcoat systems, the multilayered design significantly enhances the mechanical durability of the as-fabricated coatings by maintaining their SH performances even after experiencing over 1800 cycles of sandpaper abrasion test or >60 min of water jet impact. Structural characterization and elemental mapping reveal a consistent distribution of functional nanoparticles throughout the depth, confirming the absence of discrete interface layers and enabling adaptive surface renewal during wear. The coatings further demonstrate strong resistance to ultraviolet aging, sand impact, strong acid, salt, and alkaline environments. This work provides a universal strategy for overcoming the liquid repellency–durability conflict in SAP and SH materials through scalable, nacre-inspired layer engineering, offering practical implications for protective coatings in harsh mechanical settings and corrosion environments.