LAUSR

Abstract We developed the following facile approach to prepare a superhydrophobic surface with peony-like microstructures for corrosion protection of AZ61 Mg. First, magnesium (hydr)oxides with appealing peony-like microstructures were constructed on AZ61 Mg by a simple water-only hydrothermal oxidation method. Then the surface was modified by a low-surface-energy compound, dodecafluoroheptyl-propyl-trimethoxylsilane (Actyflon-G502), to realize superhydrophobicity with a water contact angle of 152.1°. The corrosion resistance of the as-prepared superhydrophobic layer is 35,149 Ω cm2, much higher than that of the hydrothermally-formed sample (4435 Ω cm2), which can decrease the corrosion current density of AZ61 Mg to about one-eighth of that of the untreated sample and to about one-fourth of that of the hydrothermally-treated sample relying on the obstructive and capillary effects.