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Nanomaterials
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Nanostructured Surfaces and Thin Films for Advanced Wetting Applications
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Nanostructured Surfaces and Thin Films for Advanced Wetting Applications

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanocomposite Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2021) | Viewed by 6774

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Carmen López-Santos

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Nanotechnology on Surfaces and Plasma, Institute of Materials Science of Seville, Américo Vespucio 49, 41092 Seville, Spain
2. Departamento de Física Aplicada I, Escuela Politécnica Superior, Universidad de Sevilla, Virgen de África, 41011 Seville, Spain
Interests: nanotechnology; surface science; thin films and coatings; wetting of surfaces; nanomaterials; plasma
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Bioinspired surfaces are being developed in laboratory settings to translate to industrial large-area advanced wetting applications in liquid transport, microfluidics, sensors, self-cleaning, anti-fouling, antifogging or icephobic surfaces. Nanostructured surfaces and lubricant thin films have demonstrated a promising potential for the fabrication of smart devices taking advantage of the special wetting behavior. Fundamental properties such as chemical composition, topography, nanostructure, surface energy and zeta potential are critical for the understanding and control of the phase-surface interaction at the nanoscale material interface, being as phase polar liquids, non-polar liquids, organic compounds or ice.

Relevant factors governing the wetting behavior of a surface range from a dual scale of roughness and porosity to the surface heterogeneity and the slippery liquid-infusion have been tried to correlate with superhydrophobicity, omniphobicity, antifouling, antibacterial and anti-icing or de-icing properties.

Moreover, the control of them by external stimuli such as UV irradiation, electrical and magnetic fields or mechanical actuation among others together with the combination of other features like optical and electrical response, make these special surfaces useful as photonic components and energy harvesting parts. This Special Issue of Nanomaterials, “ Nanostructured Surfaces and Thin Films for Advanced Wetting Applications”, aims to include a broad range of topics: from coatings and nanostructures fabrication to the functionality demonstration going through the advanced wetting characterization under new protocols hardly implemented at the laboratory level controlling the environment.

Dr. Carmen López-Santos
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.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 2356 KiB  
Article
Multifunctional Composite Coatings Based on Photoactive Metal-Oxide Nanopowders (MgO/TiO2) in Hydrophobic Polymer Matrix for Stone Heritage Conservation
by Victor Fruth, Ligia Todan, Cosmin Iulian Codrea, Iuliana Poenaru, Simona Petrescu, Ludmila Aricov, Madalina Ciobanu, Luiza Jecu, Rodica Mariana Ion and Luminita Predoana
Nanomaterials 2021, 11(10), 2586; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11102586 - 30 Sep 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2372
Abstract
Multifunctional composite coatings composed of metal oxide nanoparticles dispersed in polymer matrices are an advanced solution to solve the problem of stone heritage deterioration. Their innovative design is meant to be stable, durable, transparent, easy to apply and remove, non-toxic, hydrophobic, and permeable. [...] Read more.
Multifunctional composite coatings composed of metal oxide nanoparticles dispersed in polymer matrices are an advanced solution to solve the problem of stone heritage deterioration. Their innovative design is meant to be stable, durable, transparent, easy to apply and remove, non-toxic, hydrophobic, and permeable. Coating formulations for the protection of buildings and monuments have been intensively researched lately. Such formulations are based on multifunctional composite coatings incorporating metal oxides. The present work aims to combine the hydrophobic properties of sodium polyacrylate (NaPAC16) with the antimicrobial effectiveness, with promising antimicrobial results even in the absence of light, and good compatibility of MgO (a safe to use, low cost and environmentally friendly material) and TiO2 (with antibacterial and antifungal properties), in order to develop coatings for stone materials protection. MgO (pure phase periclase) and TiO2 (pure phase anatase) nanopowders were prepared through sol–gel method, specifically routes. Aqueous dispersions of hydrophobically modified polymer (NaPAC16, polyacrylic acid sodium salt) and MgO/TiO2 nanopowders were deposited through layer-by-layer dip coating technique on glass slides and through immersion on stone fragments closely resembling the mosaic stone from the fourth century AD Roman Mosaic Edifice, from Constanta, Romania. The oxide nanopowders were characterized by: Thermal analysis (TG/DTA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), BET specific surface area and porosity, and UV–Vis spectroscopy for band gap determination. An aqueous dispersion of modified polyacrylate polymer and oxide nanopowders was deposited on different substrates (glass slides, red bricks, gypsum mortars). Film hydrophobicity was verified by contact angle measurements. The colour parameters were evaluated. Photocatalytic and antimicrobial activity of the powders and composite coatings were tested. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured Surfaces and Thin Films for Advanced Wetting Applications)
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15 pages, 2353 KiB  
Article
Certain Soil Surfactants Could Become a Source of Soil Water Repellency after Repeated Application
by Enzhan Song, Keith W. Goyne, Robert J. Kremer, Stephen H. Anderson and Xi Xiong
Nanomaterials 2021, 11(10), 2577; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11102577 - 30 Sep 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1680
Abstract
Repeated application of soil surfactants, or wetting agents, is a common practice for alleviating soil water repellency associated with soil organic coatings. However, wetting agents are organic compounds that may also coat soil particle surfaces and reduce wettability. For this experiment, hydrophobic sands [...] Read more.
Repeated application of soil surfactants, or wetting agents, is a common practice for alleviating soil water repellency associated with soil organic coatings. However, wetting agents are organic compounds that may also coat soil particle surfaces and reduce wettability. For this experiment, hydrophobic sands from the field and fresh, wettable sands were collected and treated with either a polyoxyalkylene polymer (PoAP) or alkyl block polymer (ABP) wetting agent, or water only treatments served as a control. Following repeated treatment application and sequential washings, dissolved and particulate organic carbon (OC) were detected in the leachates of both sand systems. The total amount of OC recovered in leachates was 88% or less than the OC introduced by the wetting agents, indicating sorption of wetting agent monomers to soil particle surfaces regardless of soil hydrophobicity status. While ABP treatment did not alter solid phase organic carbon (SOC) in the sands studied, PoAP application increased SOC by 16% and 45% which was visible in scanning electronic microscopy images, for hydrophobic and wettable sands, respectively. PoAP application also increased the hydrophobicity of both sands that were studied. In contrast, ABP treatment increased the wettability of hydrophobic sand. Our results provide strong evidence that certain wetting agents may increase soil hydrophobicity and exacerbate wettability challenges if used repeatedly over time. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured Surfaces and Thin Films for Advanced Wetting Applications)
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15 pages, 4054 KiB  
Article
Mechanically Switchable Wetting Petal Effect in Self-Patterned Nanocolumnar Films on Poly(dimethylsiloxane)
by Julian Parra-Barranco, Carmen Lopez-Santos, Juan R. Sánchez-Valencia, Ana Borras, Agustin R. Gonzalez-Elipe and Angel Barranco
Nanomaterials 2021, 11(10), 2566; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11102566 - 29 Sep 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2144
Abstract
Switchable mechanically induced changes in the wetting behavior of surfaces are of paramount importance for advanced microfluidic, self-cleaning and biomedical applications. In this work we show that the well-known polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomer develops self-patterning when it is coated with nanostructured TiO2 films [...] Read more.
Switchable mechanically induced changes in the wetting behavior of surfaces are of paramount importance for advanced microfluidic, self-cleaning and biomedical applications. In this work we show that the well-known polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomer develops self-patterning when it is coated with nanostructured TiO2 films prepared by physical vapor deposition at glancing angles and subsequently subjected to a mechanical deformation. Thus, unlike the disordered wrinkled surfaces typically created by deformation of the bare elastomer, well-ordered and aligned micro-scaled grooves form on TiO2/PDMS after the first post-deposition bending or stretching event. These regularly patterned surfaces can be reversibly modified by mechanical deformation, thereby inducing a switchable and reversible wetting petal effect and the sliding of liquid droplets. When performed in a dynamic way, this mechanical actuation produces a unique capacity of liquid droplets (water and diiodomethane) transport and tweezing, this latter through their selective capture and release depending on their volume and chemical characteristics. Scanning electron and atomic force microscopy studies of the strained samples showed that a dual-scale roughness, a parallel alignment of patterned grooves and their reversible widening upon deformation, are critical factors controlling this singular sliding behavior and the possibility to tailor their response by the appropriate manufacturing of surface structures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured Surfaces and Thin Films for Advanced Wetting Applications)
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