Noemí Encinas

How Water Advances on Superhydrophobic Surfaces

Superliquid repellency can be achieved by nano- and microstructuring surfaces in such a way that protrusions entrap air underneath the liquid. It is still not known how the three-phase contact line advances on such structured surfaces. In contrast to a smooth surface, where the contact line can advance continuously, on a superliquid-repellent surface, the contact line has to overcome an air gap between protrusions. Here, we apply laser scanning confocal microscopy to get the first microscopic videos of water drops advancing on a superhydrophobic array of micropillars. In contrast to common belief, the liquid surface gradually bends down until it touches the top face of the next micropillars. The apparent advancing contact angle is 180°. On the receding side, pinning to the top faces of the micropillars determines the apparent receding contact angle. Based on these observations, we propose that the apparent receding contact angle should be used for characterizing superliquid-repellent surfaces rather than the apparent advancing contact angle and hysteresis.

Interaction between Air Bubbles and Superhydrophobic Surfaces in Aqueous Solutions

Superhydrophobic surfaces are usually characterized by a high apparent contact angle of water drops in air. Here we analyze the inverse situation: Rather than focusing on water repellency in air, we measure the attractive interaction of air bubbles and superhydrophobic surfaces in water. Forces were measured between microbubbles with radii R of 40-90 μm attached to an atomic force microscope cantilever and submerged superhydrophobic surfaces. In addition, forces between macroscopic bubbles (R = 1.2 mm) at the end of capillaries and superhydrophobic surfaces were measured. As superhydrophobic surfaces we applied soot-templated surfaces, nanofilament surfaces, micropillar arrays with flat top faces, and decorated micropillars. Depending on the specific structure of the superhydrophobic surfaces and the presence and amount of entrapped air, different interactions were observed. Soot-templated surfaces in the Cassie state showed superaerophilic behavior: Once the electrostatic double-layer force and a hydrodynamic repulsion were overcome, bubbles jumped onto the surface and fully merged with the entrapped air. On nanofilaments and micropillar arrays we observed in addition the formation of sessile bubbles with finite contact angles below 90° or the attachment of bubbles, which retained their spherical shape.

Stable Hydrophobic Metal-Oxide Photocatalysts via Grafting Polydimethylsiloxane Brush

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) can be grafted to metal-oxide photocatalysts such as titanium oxide by simple UV irradiation in solution or melt. The PDMS graft metal oxides are still photocatalytically active. They are hydrophobic, liquid repellent, self-cleaning, prevent biofouling and are long-term stable even in UV light.

Functional superhydrophobic surfaces made of Janus micropillars.

Particle coated micropillar arrays having hydrophobic sidewalls and hydrophilic silica tops are fabricated, enabling the top sides to be selectively post-functionalized. The so termed Janus pillars remain in the Cassie state even after chemical modification of the top faces.

Candle soot-based super-amphiphobic coatings resist protein adsorption

Super nonfouling surfaces resist protein adhesion and have a broad field of possible applications in implant technology, drug delivery, blood compatible materials, biosensors, and marine coatings. A promising route toward nonfouling surfaces involves liquid repelling architectures. The authors here show that soot-templated super-amphiphobic (SAP) surfaces prepared from fluorinated candle soot structures are super nonfouling. When exposed to bovine serum albumin or blood serum, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry analysis showed that less than 2 ng/cm(2) of protein was adsorbed onto the SAP surfaces. Since a broad variety of substrate shapes can be coated by soot-templated SAP surfaces, those are a promising route toward biocompatible materials design.

Engineering Proteins at Interfaces: From Complementary Characterization to Material Surfaces with Designed Functions

Abstract Once materials come into contact with a biological fluid containing proteins, proteins are generally—whether desired or not—attracted by the materials surface and adsorb onto it. The aim of this Review is to give an overview of the most commonly used characterization methods employed to gain a better understanding of the adsorption processes on either planar or curved surfaces. We continue to illustrate the benefit of combining different methods to different surface geometries of the material. The thus obtained insight ideally paves the way for engineering functional materials that interact with proteins in a predetermined manner.