Durable Lubricant-Infused Anodized Aluminum Oxide Surfaces and Its Long-Term Deterioration in NaCl Solution

Recently, lubricant-infused surfaces (LIS) have emerged as a prominent class of surface technology for anticorrosion applications. However, long-term corrosion exposure and mechanical damages may deteriorate the practical performance of LIS during application. In this study, a robust LIS was fabricated by the vacuum impregnation of mineral oil into anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) nanochannels with a depth of 50 μm. The impregnation of the lubricant through the entire depth of the high-aspect-ratio nanochannels was visualized under cryo-scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM). The micro-cracks formed on the LIS can be instantaneously repaired by the in-flow of the oil from the surrounding surface. In the tribological tests, the LIS also presented high wear resistance and superior mechanical durability. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) showed that the lubricant stored in the deep nanochannels of LIS can provide excellent corrosion protection during long-term immersion.