Super-hydrophobic metal-complex film fabricated electrochemically on copper as a barrier to corrosive medium

•Metal-complex film with super-hydrophobic property was prepared on Cu surface.•Morphology-controllable synthesis of metal-complex film is realized.•Dissolution–coordination–precipitation model is used to illuminate film formation.•Mechanism for high corrosion resistance of super-hydrophobic film is clarified.

Metal-complex film with super-hydrophobic property is fabricated on copper (Cu) surface with one-step electrochemical method in laurylamine/ethanol solution. “Dissolution–coordination–precipitation” model is proposed to illuminate formation mechanism of Cu(II)-laurylamine complex film. The super-hydrophobic film can act as a barrier to corrosion of underlying copper with inhibition efficiency close to 100%, and it maintains stability within a wide potential range. The origin of such corrosion protection property is explained from view point that hierarchical micro-structure of the super-hydrophobic film can maintain a stable air/liquid interface which inhibits erosion of corrosive medium.