Small-amplitude fast vibrations and small surface micropatterns affect properties of various systems involving wetting, such as superhydrophobic surfaces and membranes. We review a mathematical method of averaging the effect of small spatial and temporal patterns. For small fast vibrations, this method is known as the method of separation of motions. The vibrations are substituted by effective ...

Superhydrophobic coatings, inspired by nature, are an emerging technology. These water repellent coatings can be used as solutions for corrosion, biofouling and even water and air drag reduction applications. In this work, synthesis of monodispersive silica nanoparticles of ~120 nm diameter has been realized via Stöber process and further functionalized using fluoroalkylsilane (FAS-17) molecule...

Rare and common The hot grains of tektite and obsidian that show up in HD 172555’s IR spectrum are small enough that the star’s radiation pressure would drive them away from their current 6-AU orbit within 0.1 million years. The SiO molecules would likely condense and reform minerals on the same time scale. Given that rocky planets take 100 My to form, catching a giant impact in HD172555, despi...

Evaporation of water droplets on a superhydrophobic substrate, on which the contact line is pinned, is investigated. While previous studies focused mainly on droplets with contact angles smaller than 90°, here we analyze almost the full range of possible contact angles (10°-150°). The greater contact angles and pinned contact lines can be achieved by use of superhydrophobic carbon nanofiber sub...

Vertically-aligned multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were grown on stainless steel (SS) mesh by thermal chemical vapor deposition with a diffusion barrier of Al2O3 film. These three-dimensional porous structures (SS-CNT meshes) were found to be superhydrophobic and superoleophilic. Water advancing contact angles of 145–150 were determined for these SS-CNT meshes in air and oil (gasoline, iso...

Appropriately structured topographical features that are found in nature (e.g,, the lotus leaf) or that are produced synthetically (e.g., via lithography) can impart superhydrophobic properties to surfaces. Water beads up and readily rolls off of such surfaces, making them self-cleaning. Within the past few years, scientists and engineers have begun exploring the utility of these surfaces in mi...

Superhydrophobic surfaces have considerable technological potential for various applications due to their extreme water-repellent properties. A number of studies have been carried out to produce artificial biomimetic roughness-induced hydrophobic surfaces. In general, both homogeneous and composite interfaces are possible on the produced surface. Silicon surfaces patterned with pillars of two d...

Tribology involves the study of friction, wear, lubrication, and adhesion, including biomimetic superhydrophobic and icephobic surfaces. The three aspects of icephobicity are the low ice adhesion, repulsion of incoming water droplets prior to freezing, and delayed frost formation. Although superhydrophobic surfaces are not always icephobic, the theoretical mechanisms behind icephobicity are sim...

In the past decade, graphene has revealed a cornucopia of both fundamental science and potential applications due to its exceptional electrical, mechanical, thermal, and optical properties. Recently, increasing effort has been devoted to exploiting its new features, for example, wetting properties. Benefitting from its inherent material properties, graphene shows great potential for the fabrica...

Membrane distillation can desalinate seawater using low-grade heat energy or solar heat, but it has limited mass fluxes and membrane fouling issues. Glass membranes with integrated arrays of nanospiked microchannels and a narrow pore size distribution are made through a process that involves glass fiber drawing, dissolving template material from microchannels and differential chemical etching. ...