Effect of nano-penning surface texturing on self-cleaning function

Surface texturation at micro- and meso-scales plays an important role in applications where cosmetic, aesthetic and self-cleaning functionalities are specified. This research paper deals with a multiscale surface, in which texturing and texture have a larger influence because they are scaled differently. The experimental approach highlights the important effect of texture and texturing on the anti-fingerprinting performance rated in term of surface wettability. We examine first, in detail, the wetting response of surfaces textured on aluminum alloy 6063 plates using nano-peening with various processing parameters. Roughness was measured by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and interferometry. Surface wettability was quantified using the sessile drop method. The calculation takes into account the wetting behavior of the textured surfaces at different scales. Correlations were made between the surface roughness and its functionality.