SPP 2171 Spring Conference: Dynamic Wetting of Flexible, Adaptive, and Switchable Substrates

In 2011, Quere, Aizenberg, and co-workers independently introduced the innovative concept of infusing a solid surface with a thin oil film to eliminate contact-line pinning [1-3]. The invention of this new material class—lubricated surfaces—has since revolutionized the design of super-repellent surfaces, with important anti-fouling and heat transfer applications.
In this talk, I will explore...

Hydrophilic polymer brushes are widely utilized in biomedical applications to prevent non-specific interactions with biological fluids. While the chemical structure of the coating plays an important role in the non-fouling character and bio-functionality, the physical state of polymer chains determines the coating's properties. However, the actual physical state of the polymer chains...

Frictional forces resisting droplet motion often appear to be separate to surface wettability and liquid adhesion. Here I will show how equilibrium surface wettability, representing normal adhesion, combines with hysteresis, representing surface heterogeneity, to produce static and kinetic contact line friction. I will show how an Amontons-like liquid-on-solid law provides a unified view for...

Solar panels are becoming an increasingly efficient and economical source of green energy. However, they rarely operate at optimum efficiency due to the accumulation of dust, pollen and dirt, which reduces the amount of sunlight that can be absorbed. In addition, harsh outdoor conditions can cause irreversible degradation of solar panels. We want to improve the ease of cleaning while...

Using porous materials for fluid management has been practised for thousands of years, e.g. water storage and release or filtration purposes. Thereby, the chemical nature of the porous material and the pore geometries determine the capacity of a porous material to take up a specific fluid through spontaneous imbibition. This talk addresses how geometric and chemical features impact multiphase...

Nanopores are a key component in various technologies from oil production, separation and sensing, to drug delivery or catalysis and energy conversion. In contrast to technological pores, biological pores and channels demonstrate highly precise transport being directed, highly selective, and gated. A key factor to this performance is their nanoscale structure and local control on charge...

Surface binding and surface phase separation of cytosolic scaffold proteins on lipid membranes are involved in many cellular processes, such as cell signaling, cell adhesion, and cortex regulation. However, the interplay between surface binding and surface phase separation is poorly understood. In this work, we study this interplay by deriving a general thermodynamic model and applying it to...