Advanced Coatings for Surface Protection and Water/Oil Repellency

Dear Colleagues,

Superhydrophobic and oleophobic surfaces are of paramount importance to the challenges faced today in protecting various surfaces in a range of applications, including aircraft parts and sensors, automotive and transportation systems, energy materials, medical devices, appliances, construction materials, oil–water separations, textiles, etc. Long-term surface protection and its easy maintenance is the biggest issue that scientists are striving to solve through significant and outstanding research and technology development. The fundamental approach to address these challenges in simple terms is the use of surface modification techniques. When it comes to protecting a surface from degradation due to corrosion and/or organic contaminants, it is the few nanometers or molecular layers on the surface that matter most. Therefore, surface modification becomes of tremendous importance, and it is there that nature and its wonders in have been particularly inspirational. The surfaces of plants (lotus leaves, hosts), insects (butterfly wings, striders), aquatic beings (fish scales, dolphin skins), and birds (duck feathers), to name a few, are some classic examples of motivators for replication on the surfaces of materials such as metals, ceramics, and polymers. Fabrication of these nature-inspired surfaces has seen great success in recent times; however, these technological achievements and advancements have been purely based on self-learning. There is a lack of academic training to the new generation via courses in universities in this important field of surface modification, superhydrophobic/oleophobic coatings, and adhesion science.

The aim of this Special Issue is to provide an international scientific platform for a wide range of experts and professionals in the field of surface modification and coatings, including researchers, academics, industrial experts, and professionals, to present the most recent technological achievements and advances from the perspective of providing education and sharing knowledge to help to stimulate the minds of the youngest generations to keep working in and contributing to this field. This Special Issue is open to novel, high-quality research contributions on both theoretical and experimental aspects related to surface modifications and interactions, as well as achieving superhydrophobic and oleophobic properties. We expect this Special Issue to open new pathways for further research and technology improvements in this important field.

Prof. Dr. D. K. Sarkar
Dr. N. Saleema
Guest Editors

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