Abstract: Copper materials have emerged as the preferred choice for marine heat exchangers owing to their exceptional thermal conductivity. The enhancement of surface performance can be significantly achieved by engineering micro-nano structures on the material's surface, thereby attaining improved corrosion resistance and antibacterial properties in complex marine environments. In this study, we directly fabricated a copper nanopillar array structure on the substrate via template-assisted electrodeposition. Subsequently, passivation of the pillar-structured copper surface was achieved through a formate & dodecanethiol-assisted solvothermal process (Cu/FA-DT). The results indicate that the nanopillar structure effectively eliminates bacteria through physical rupture upon contact, leading to an 85.47% reduction in P. aeruginosa adhesion compared to untreated samples after 72 h of immersion in seawater. Furthermore, corrosion resistance is significantly enhanced, with inhibition rates of approximately 95.27% and 90.50% in natural and P. aeruginosa containing seawater, respectively. Notably, the thermal conductivity of copper is well preserved, ensuring its functional integrity in marine heat exchange environments. After 7 days of immersion in natural and P. aeruginosa containing seawater, the thermal conductivity of Cu/FA-DT decreased by only 15.41% and 2.78%, respectively, demonstrating superior thermal conductivity retention compared to untreated bare copper. This study provides valuable insights into the potential application of traditional copper in marine heat exchange environments.

Key words: Copper, Template-assisted electrodeposition, Nanopillars arrays, Antibacterial, Anti-corrosion, Thermal conductivity