Tailoring solid-liquid interactions to control droplet wetting and dynamics
Date
2019
Authors
Vahabi, Hamed, author
Kota, Arun K., advisor
Dasi, Lakshmi Prasad, committee member
Tavener, Simon, committee member
Bandhauer, Todd M., committee member
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Abstract
Recent advances in micro/nano-scale fabrication techniques and synthesis of novel chemicals with a variety of functionalities have opened up new avenues in tailoring solid-liquid interactions. In this work, by systematically tuning the wettability and slipperiness of solid surfaces, we developed a multitude of novel surfaces and strategies. First, we developed metamorphic superomniphobic surfaces that display wetting transition in response to heat. Second, we systematically studied the dynamics of droplets of various liquids during coalescence-induced jumping on textured super-repellent surfaces. Third, we developed a simple and passive strategy consisting of superomniphobic surfaces with a protruding macrotexture to demonstrate coalescence-induced jumping with significantly higher energy conversion efficiency, compared to state-of-the-art surfaces. Fourth, we developed a simple "grafting to" technique to fabricate a novel non-textured hydrophilic surface that is counterintuitively slippery with unprecedented potential to enhance the heat transfer coefficient in dropwise condensation. Fifth, we developed a novel triboelectric-based droplet manipulation technique on smooth hydrophobic slippery surfaces that is very simple without any complex fabrication of manipulation platform or expensive actuation system. Overall, the novel surfaces and strategies developed in this work have significant implications for phase-change heat transfer, liquid transportation, anti-fouling, self-cleaning, drag reduction, corrosion control, and manipulation of liquid droplets.
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Subject
coalescence-induced jumping
dropwise condensation
super-repellent surfaces
droplet manipulation
CFD
slippery hydrophilic SLIC surface