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Nanomaterials
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Wetting of Nanostructured Materials
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Wetting of Nanostructured Materials

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 October 2018) | Viewed by 22859

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Rafael Taboryski

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
DTU Nanolab—National Centre for Nano Fabrication and Characterization, Technical University of Denmark, Ørsteds Plads, Building 347, 2800 Copenhagen, Denmark
Interests: fabrication and characterization of metamaterials; functional properties of nanostructured surfaces; surface wetting phenomena; micro and nanofabrication techniques of polymers, Si and glass; microfluidics; electrophysiology; electrochemical biosensors
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Controlling the wetting properties of solid surfaces is important in many aspects of engineering solutions for healthcare, water harvesting, energy conversion, and industrial painting, just to mention some key applications. As scientists, we can contribute by providing a deeper understanding of the wetting phenomena and demonstrate the solutions. For inspiration, we can look at the solutions already developed by nature through millions of years of evolution. Many of those biomimetic designs comprise surface textures on the nano-scale. How do we engineer solid surfaces by nanostructures and surface chemistry to enable properties such as self-cleaning, omni-phobicity, anti-icing, anti-fogging, drag reduction, anti-fouling, and lubrication to address the societal needs, and why does it work? We would very much like to consider your proposed answer in the form of a scientific paper to these questions in this Special Issue of Nanomaterials.

Dr. Rafael J. Taboryski
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nanomaterials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • self-cleaning
  • anti-fogging
  • anti-icing
  • drag-reduction
  • lubrication
  • anti-fouling
  • oleophobic
  • omni-phobic
  • super-wetting
  • hemiwicking

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 6144 KiB  
Article
Robust Polymer Nanocomposite Membranes Incorporating Discrete TiO2 Nanotubes for Water Treatment
by Najia Mahdi, Pawan Kumar, Ankur Goswami, Basil Perdicakis, Karthik Shankar and Mohtada Sadrzadeh
Nanomaterials 2019, 9(9), 1186; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano9091186 - 21 Aug 2019
Cited by 44 | Viewed by 5196
Abstract
Polyethersulfone (PES) is a polymeric permeable material used in ultrafiltration (UF) membranes due to its high thermomechanical and chemical stability. The hydrophobic nature of PES membranes renders them prone to fouling and restricts the practical applications of PES in the fabrication of water [...] Read more.
Polyethersulfone (PES) is a polymeric permeable material used in ultrafiltration (UF) membranes due to its high thermomechanical and chemical stability. The hydrophobic nature of PES membranes renders them prone to fouling and restricts the practical applications of PES in the fabrication of water treatment membranes. The present study demonstrates a non-solvent-induced phase separation (NIPS) approach to modifying PES membranes with different concentrations of discrete TiO2 nanotubes (TNTs). Zeta potential and contact angle measurements showed enhanced hydrophilicity and surface negative charge in TNTs/PES nanocomposite membranes compared to unmodified PES membranes. To discern the antifouling and permeation properties of the TNTs/PES membranes, steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) wastewater obtained from the Athabasca oil sands of Alberta was used. The TiO2 modified polymer nanocomposite membranes resulted in a higher organic matter rejection and water flux than the unmodified PES membrane. The addition of discrete TNTs at 1 wt% afforded maximum water flux (82 L/m2 h at 40 psi), organic matter rejection (53.9%), and antifouling properties (29% improvement in comparison to pristine PES membrane). An enhancement in fouling resistance of TNTs/PES nanocomposite membranes was observed in flux recovery ratio experiments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wetting of Nanostructured Materials)
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12 pages, 5019 KiB  
Article
Effect of Structure Hierarchy for Superhydrophobic Polymer Surfaces Studied by Droplet Evaporation
by Nastasia Okulova, Peter Johansen, Lars Christensen and Rafael Taboryski
Nanomaterials 2018, 8(10), 831; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano8100831 - 13 Oct 2018
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 3916
Abstract
Super-hydrophobic natural surfaces usually have multiple levels of structure hierarchy. Here, we report on the effect of surface structure hierarchy for droplet evaporation. The two-level hierarchical structures studied comprise micro-pillars superimposed with nanograss. The surface design is fully scalable as structures used in [...] Read more.
Super-hydrophobic natural surfaces usually have multiple levels of structure hierarchy. Here, we report on the effect of surface structure hierarchy for droplet evaporation. The two-level hierarchical structures studied comprise micro-pillars superimposed with nanograss. The surface design is fully scalable as structures used in this study are replicated in polypropylene by a fast roll-to-roll extrusion coating method, which allows effective thermoforming of the surface structures on flexible substrates. As one of the main results, we show that the hierarchical structures can withstand pinning of sessile droplets and remain super-hydrophobic for a longer time than their non-hierarchical counterparts. The effect is documented by recording the water contact angles of sessile droplets during their evaporation from the surfaces. The surface morphology is mapped by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and used together with the theory of Miwa et al. to estimate the degree of water impregnation into the surface structures. Finally, the different behavior during the droplet evaporation is discussed in the light of the obtained water impregnation levels. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wetting of Nanostructured Materials)
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15 pages, 2945 KiB  
Article
Resistance of Superhydrophobic Surface-Functionalized TiO2 Nanotubes to Corrosion and Intense Cavitation
by Weidi Hua, Piyush Kar, Partha Roy, Lintong Bu, Lian C. T. Shoute, Pawan Kumar and Karthik Shankar
Nanomaterials 2018, 8(10), 783; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano8100783 - 02 Oct 2018
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3950
Abstract
The availability of robust superhydrophobic materials with the ability to withstand harsh environments are in high demand for many applications. In this study, we have presented a simple method to fabricate superhydrophobic materials from TiO2 nanotube arrays (TNTAs) and investigated the resilience [...] Read more.
The availability of robust superhydrophobic materials with the ability to withstand harsh environments are in high demand for many applications. In this study, we have presented a simple method to fabricate superhydrophobic materials from TiO2 nanotube arrays (TNTAs) and investigated the resilience of the materials when they are subjected to harsh conditions such as intense cavitation upon ultrasonication, corrosion in saline water, water-jet impact, and abrasion. The TNTAs were prepared by anodization of Ti foil in buffered aqueous electrolyte containing fluoride ions. The hydrophilic TNTAs were functionalized with octadecylphosphonic acid (ODPA) or 1H, 1H′, 2H, 2H′-perfluorodecyl phosphonic acid (PFDPA) to form a self-assembled monolayer on the TNTA surface to produce superhydrophobic ODPA@TNTA or PFDPA@TNTA surfaces. The superhydrophobic ODPA@TNTA and PFDPA@TNTA have contact angles of 156.0° ± 1.5° and 168° ± 1.5°, and contact angle hysteresis of 3.0° and 0.8°, respectively. The superhydrophobic ODPA@TNTA and PFDPA@TNTA were subjected to ultrasonication, corrosion in saline water, and water-jet impact and abrasion, and the resilience of the systems was characterized by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), contact angle (CA) measurements, diffuse reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (DRIFTS), and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The results presented here show that superhydrophobic ODPA@TNTA and PFDPA@TNTA are robust and resilient under the harsh conditions studied in this work, and indicate the potential of these materials to be deployed in practical applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wetting of Nanostructured Materials)
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12 pages, 8226 KiB  
Article
Controlling the Wetting Properties of Superhydrophobic Titanium Surface Fabricated by UV Nanosecond-Pulsed Laser and Heat Treatment
by The-Hung Dinh, Chi-Vinh Ngo and Doo-Man Chun
Nanomaterials 2018, 8(10), 766; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano8100766 - 27 Sep 2018
Cited by 38 | Viewed by 3295
Abstract
In this study, the effects of nanosecond-pulsed laser and pattern design were researched on the wettability of titanium material. Nanosecond-pulsed laser and heat treatment are used to fabricate superhydrophobic titanium surfaces. The effects of laser power (1–3 W) and step size (50–300 µm) [...] Read more.
In this study, the effects of nanosecond-pulsed laser and pattern design were researched on the wettability of titanium material. Nanosecond-pulsed laser and heat treatment are used to fabricate superhydrophobic titanium surfaces. The effects of laser power (1–3 W) and step size (50–300 µm) on a microscale patterned titanium surface (line pattern and grid pattern) were investigated to explain the relation between microstructure and superhydrophobicity. The surface morphologies and wettability of the surfaces were analyzed by three-dimensional confocal microscopy and a contact angle meter. The results show that the laser power and pattern design affected the apparent contact angle (CA) and sliding angle (SA). The maximum step size, which could show superhydrophobicity with apparent CA > 150° and SA < 10°, was increased when the laser power increased from 1 to 3 W. Grid pattern showed isotropic wetting behavior, but line pattern showed both isotropic and anisotropic wetting behavior according to step size and laser power. Furthermore, when choosing the proper laser power and step size, the wetting properties of superhydrophobic surface such as lotus effect (apparent CA > 150° and SA < 10°) and petal effect (apparent CA > 150° and no SA) and isotropic/anisotropic behavior can be controlled for applications of water droplet control. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wetting of Nanostructured Materials)
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12 pages, 7299 KiB  
Article
Wetting Behaviors of a Nano-Droplet on a Rough Solid Substrate under Perpendicular Electric Field
by Fenhong Song, Long Ma, Jing Fan, Qicheng Chen, Lihui Zhang and Ben Q. Li
Nanomaterials 2018, 8(5), 340; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano8050340 - 17 May 2018
Cited by 31 | Viewed by 5899
Abstract
Molecular dynamic simulations were adopted to study the wetting properties of nanoscale droplets on rough silicon solid substrate subject to perpendicular electric fields. The effect of roughness factor and electric field strength on the static and dynamic wetting behaviors of a nano-droplet on [...] Read more.
Molecular dynamic simulations were adopted to study the wetting properties of nanoscale droplets on rough silicon solid substrate subject to perpendicular electric fields. The effect of roughness factor and electric field strength on the static and dynamic wetting behaviors of a nano-droplet on a solid surface was investigated at the molecular level. Results show that the static contact angle tends to decrease slightly and show small difference with the increase of roughness factor, while it shows an obvious increase for the ramp-shaped surface because the appearing bottom space reduces the wettability of solid surface. Additionally, under the electric field, a nano-droplet was elongated in the field direction and the equilibrium contact angle increases with the increase of electric field strength. The nano-droplet was completely stretched to be column-shaped at a threshold value of the field. Besides, accompanied by the shape variation of water droplets, the molecular dipole orientations of water molecules experience a remarkable change from a random disordered distribution to an ordered profile because of the realignment of water molecules induced by electric fields. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wetting of Nanostructured Materials)
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