biostudies-literatureZemajtis FNational Science Foundation (NSF)National Science Foundation11176https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC10333232biostudies-literatureUnknown13(1)This paper reports on a superhydrophilic to superhydrophobic transformation of TiO₂ nanoparticles doped zinc phosphate coating systems when a hydrophobic agent is applied. The objective of the reported research was to demonstrate the feasibility of a neutron imaging technique for evaluating the performance of the proposed nano-coating system and reveal the differences in water ingress mechanisms which are specific to plain, superhydrophilic, overhydrophobic, and superhydrophobic specimens. The engineered nano-coatings were designed to improve hydrophobic response with inducing the required roughness pattern and introducing the photocatalytic performance. The effectiveness of the coatings was assessed using high-resolution neutron imaging (HR-NI), SEM, CLSM, and XRD techniques. HScientific reportsFrom superhydrophilicity to superhydrophobicity: high-resolution neutron imaging and modeling of water imbibition through porous surfaces treated with engineered nano-coatings.PMC103332322028535Pillai KMYetik OZemajtis FHasan ABMRTrtik PSobolev KfalseFrom superhydrophilicity to superhydrophobicity: high-resolution neutron imaging and modeling of water imbibition through porous surfaces treated with engineered nano-coatings.This paper reports on a superhydrophilic to superhydrophobic transformation of TiO₂ nanoparticles doped zinc phosphate coating systems when a hydrophobic agent is applied. The objective of the reported research was to demonstrate the feasibility of a neutron imaging technique for evaluating the performance of the proposed nano-coating system and reveal the differences in water ingress mechanisms which are specific to plain, superhydrophilic, overhydrophobic, and superhydrophobic specimens. The engineered nano-coatings were designed to improve hydrophobic response with inducing the required roughness pattern and introducing the photocatalytic performance. The effectiveness of the coatings was assessed using high-resolution neutron imaging (HR-NI), SEM, CLSM, and XRD techniques. H2023-01-01T00:00:00Z2023 Jul2025-04-26T15:20:28.797Z2025-04-06T14:49:35.142ZS-EPMC103332323742991910.1038/s41598-023-38324-1