Robust self-cleaning surfaces that function when exposed to either air or oil

Condensed Matter journal club

Robust self-cleaning surfaces that function when exposed to either air or oil

  • Event time: 11:30am
  • Event date: 27th March 2015
  • Speaker: Keith Bromley (Formerly School of Physics & Astronomy, University of Edinburgh)
  • Location: Room 2511,

Event details

Abstract

Superhydrophobic self-cleaning surfaces are based on the surface micro/nanomorphologies; however, such surfaces are mechanically weak and stop functioning when exposed to oil. We have created an ethanolic suspension of perfluorosilane-coated titanium dioxide nanoparticles that forms a paint that can be sprayed, dipped, or extruded onto both hard and soft materials to create a self-cleaning surface that functions even upon emersion in oil. Commercial adhesives were used to bond the paint to various substrates and promote robustness. These surfaces maintained their water repellency after finger-wipe, knife-scratch, and even 40 abrasion cycles with sandpaper.The formulations developed can be used on clothes, paper, glass, and steel for a myriad of self-cleaning applications.
Science 347 pages 1132-1135 (2015)
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Supplimentary Information

Authors

Yao Lu, Sanjayan Sathasivam, Jinlong Song, Colin R. Crick, Claire J. Carmalt, Ivan P. Parkin

About Condensed Matter journal club

Given the diversity of research in the CM group, chosen topics vary widely. We tend to stick to high-impact journals - Nature, Science, PNAS and PRL have been popular - but this is not prescriptive..

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