Copper based hydrophobic ceramic nanocoating

A mechanism for the development of nanocoatings for the tiles industry by using copper nanoparticles has been proposed. A standard processing procedure in which ceramics were fast-firing at 1200 °C in air atmosphere simulating an industrial process was followed. The ceramic nanocoating was multifunctional having shine metallic aspect and hydrophobic characteristics. The surface crystallizations were studied by X-ray diffraction and corresponded to copper oxide nanocrystals. The hydrophobic response was based in the nanoroughness of the surface and correlated with the Cu+/Cu2+ ratio as determined by XANES. The cellular nano microstructure look biomimetic with the one of hydrophobic leafs. The development of the cellular nano microstructure was based on the Rayleigh–Bernard cells of a saturated glass during cooling in which thermal convection currents allow the crystallization of nanoparticles at the surface of the glass.