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Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SuperRepel (Superslippery Liquid-Repellent Surfaces)

Teaser

Summary

Hydrophobic surfaces have significant potential for improvement, by making them more repellent. Furthermore, current methods and instruments are not accurate enough for their characterization, and there is a need to improve on that. Repellent surfaces are important for society as these surfaces do not get wet, and also have anti-fogging and anti-icing features. In the SuperRepel project, we aim to develop the next-generation of hydrophobic surfaces, to develop new methodologies to measure them, and to demonstrate novel applications for them.

Work performed

We have purchased an instrument for the preparation of new hydrophobic surfaces. It has been installed, tested and the first surfaces have been made.
We have prepared a manuscript about the limitations of contact angle measurements, a significant problem not yet understood by the wetting community.
We have developed Scanning Droplet Adhesion Microscopy as a new instrument for surface wetting characterization, and applied it to specific state-of-the-art surfaces. We have also developed a new protocol for contact angle goniometry.

Final results

We have progressed well on different fronts and expect to be able to improve on the synthesis of hydrophobic surfaces. We are working on entirely new methods for wetting characterization that are much more accurate than the current standard, and that have potential for commercialization. I have applied for ERC PoC funding to explore this commercial potential.I expect that by the end of the project new types of surfaces will be developed that lead to new levels of repellency, and that could allow entirely new applications. The project has already resulted in important scientific outputs, and I anticipate this to continue in the coming years.