Increasing the hydrophobicity degree of stonework by means of laser surface texturing: An application on Zimbabwe black granites

A. Chantada, J. Penide, A. Riveiro, J. del Val, F. Quintero, M. Meixus, R. Soto, F. Lusquiños, J. Pou

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

9 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Tailoring the wetting characteristics of materials has gained much interest in applications related to surface cleaning in both industry and home. Zimbabwe black granite is a middle-to-fine-grained natural stone commonly used as countertops in kitchens and bathrooms. In this study, the laser texturing of Zimbabwe black granite surfaces is investigated with the aim to enhance its hydrophobic character, thus reducing the attachment of contaminants on the surface. Two laser sources (λ = 1064 and 532 nm) were used for this purpose. The treatment is based on the irradiation of the stone by a laser focused on the surface of the targeting sample. The influence of different laser processing parameters on the surface characteristics of granite (wettability, roughness, and chemistry) was statistically assessed. Most suitable laser processing parameters required to obtain the highest hydrophobicity degree were identified. It has been possible to identify the 532 nm laser wavelength as the most effective one to increase the hydrophobic degree of Zimbabwe black granite surface. The phenomenon governing wettability changes was found to be the surface roughness patterns, given the unaltered chemical surface composition after laser processing.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)463-471
Number of pages9
JournalApplied Surface Science
Volume418
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Oct 2017
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Design of experiments
  • Laser texturing
  • Natural stone
  • Roughness
  • Wettability

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