1. |
- Haapanen, Janne, et al.
(author)
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On the limit of superhydrophobicity : Defining the minimum amount of TiO2 nanoparticle coating
- 2019
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In: Materials Research Express. - : IOP Publishing. - 2053-1591. ; 6:3
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Fabrication of superhydrophobic surfaces in large scale has been in high interest for several years, also titanium oxide nanostructures having been applied for the purpose. Optimizing the amount and structure of the TiO2 material in the coating will play a key role when considering upscaling. Here, we take a look at fabricating the superhydrophobic surface in a one-step roll-to-roll pilot scale process by depositing TiO2 nanoparticles from a Liquid Flame Spray onto a moving paperboard substrate. In order to find the minimum amount of nanomaterial still sufficient for creating superhydrophobicity, we varied nanoparticle production rate, flame distance from the substrate and line speed. Since the deposited amount of material sideways from the flame path was seen to decrease gradually, spatial analysis enabled us to consistently determine the minimum amount of TiO2 nanoparticles on the substrate needed to achieve superhydrophobicity. Amount as low as 20-30 mg m-2 of TiO2 nanoparticles was observed to be sufficient. The scanning electron microscopy revealed that at this amount, the surface was covered with nanoparticles only partially, but still sufficiently to create a hierarchical structure to affect wetting significantly. Based on XPS analysis, it became apparent that TiO2 gathers hydrocarbons on the surface to develop the surface chemistry towards hydrophobic, but below the critical amount of TiO2 nanoparticles, the chemistry could not enable superhydrophobicity anymore. While varying the deposited amount of TiO2, besides the local spatial variance of the coating amount, also the overall yield was studied. Within the text matrix, a yield up to 44% was achieved. In conclusion, superhydrophobicity was achieved at all tested line speeds (50 to 300 m min-1), even if the amount of TiO2 varied significantly (20 to 230 mg m-2).
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2. |
- Harra, Juha, et al.
(author)
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Characteristics of nFOG, an aerosol-based wet thin film coating technique
- 2018
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In: JCT Research. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1547-0091 .- 2168-8028 .- 1935-3804. ; 15:3, s. 623-632
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- An atmospheric pressure aerosol-based wet thin film coating technique called the nFOG is characterized and applied in polymer film coatings. In the nFOG, a fog of droplets is formed by two air-assist atomizers oriented toward each other inside a deposition chamber. The droplets settle gravitationally and deposit on a substrate, forming a wet film. In this study, the continuous deposition mode of the nFOG is explored. We determined the size distribution of water droplets inside the chamber in a wide side range of 0.1–100 µm and on the substrate using aerosol measurement instruments and optical microscopy, respectively. The droplet size distribution was found to be bimodal with droplets of approximately 30–50 µm contributing the most to the mass of the formed wet film. The complementary measurement methods allow us to estimate the role of different droplet deposition mechanisms. The obtained results suggest that the deposition velocity of the droplets is lower than the calculated terminal settling velocity, likely due to the flow fields inside the chamber. Furthermore, the mass flux of the droplets onto the substrate is determined to be in the order of 1 g/m3s, corresponding to a wet film growth rate of 1 µm/s. Finally, the nFOG technique is demonstrated by preparing polymer films with thicknesses in the range of approximately 0.1–20 µm.
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3. |
- Juuti, Paxton, et al.
(author)
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Achieving a slippery, liquid-infused porous surface with anti-icing properties by direct deposition of flame synthesized aerosol nanoparticles on a thermally fragile substrate
- 2017
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In: Applied Physics Letters. - : AIP Publishing. - 0003-6951 .- 1077-3118. ; 110:16
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Slippery, liquid-infused porous surfaces offer a promising route for producing omniphobic and anti-icing surfaces. Typically, these surfaces are made as a coating with expensive and time consuming assembly methods or with fluorinated films and oils. We report on a route for producing liquid-infused surfaces, which utilizes a liquid precursor fed oxygen-hydrogen flame to produce titania nanoparticles deposited directly on a low-density polyethylene film. This porous nanocoating, with thickness of several hundreds of nanometers, is then filled with silicone oil. The produced surfaces are shown to exhibit excellent anti-icing properties, with an ice adhesion strength of ∼12 kPa, which is an order of magnitude improvement when compared to the plain polyethylene film. The surface was also capable of maintaining this property even after cyclic icing testing.
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4. |
- Niemelä-Anttonen, Henna, et al.
(author)
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Icephobicity of Slippery Liquid Infused Porous Surfaces under Multiple Freeze–Thaw and Ice Accretion–Detachment Cycles
- 2018
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In: Advanced Materials Interfaces. - : Wiley. - 2196-7350. ; 5:20
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Surface engineering can be used to prevent ice accumulation and adhesion in environments that deal with icing problems. One recent engineering approach, slippery liquid infused porous surfaces (SLIPS), comprises a smooth and slippery lubricating surface, where lubricant is trapped within the pores of a solid material to repel various substances, such as water and ice. However, it remains unclear whether the slippery surfaces retain their icephobic characteristics under the impact of supercooled water droplets or repeated freezing and melting cycles. Here, the icephobic properties of SLIPS are evaluated under multiple droplet freeze–thaw and ice accretion–detachment cycles and compared to hydrophobic and superhydrophobic surfaces. The experiments are designed to mimic real environmental conditions, thus, the icephobicity is investigated in icing wind tunnel, where ice accretion occurs through the impact of supercooled water droplets. The adhesion of ice remained extremely low, <10 kPa, which is four times lower than ice adhesion onto smooth fluoropolymer surfaces, even after repeated ice accretion–detachment cycles. Moreover, cyclic droplet freeze–thaw experiments provide insight into the effects of temperature cycling on SLIPS wettability, showing stable wetting performance. The results suggest liquid infused porous surfaces as a potential solution to icephobicity under challenging and variating environmental conditions.
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