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Fabrication of Superhydrophobic Metal Surfaces for Anti-Icing Applications
Published on: August 15, 2018
Reversible electrowetting on superhydrophobic double-nanotextured surfaces.
Florian Lapierre1, Vincent Thomy, Yannick Coffinier
1Institut d'Electronique, de Microélectronique et de Nanotechnologie (IEMN), UMR CNRS-8520, Cité Scientifique, Avenue Poincaré, BP 60069, 59652 Villeneuve d'Ascq, France.
Summary
Superhydrophobic silicon nanowire surfaces show varied electrowetting behavior. Surface nanotexturation dictates reversibility and droplet impalement, impacting electrowetting performance.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Surface Science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Superhydrophobic surfaces offer unique water-repellent properties.
- Electrowetting (EW) is a technique to manipulate droplet behavior on surfaces using electric fields.
- Controlling EW on nanostructured surfaces is crucial for advanced applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the electrowetting behavior of C4F8-coated silicon nanowire (NW) surfaces.
- To systematically measure contact angle hysteresis after EW on superhydrophobic NWs.
- To understand how dielectric layer thickness and nanotexturation influence EW performance.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of silicon nanowire surfaces with varying dielectric layer thickness and nanotexturation.
- Coating surfaces with C4F8 to achieve superhydrophobicity.
- Performing electrowetting experiments with deionized water and measuring contact angle hysteresis.
- Analyzing droplet impalement levels and EW reversibility.
Main Results:
- Superhydrophobic NWs exhibited diverse EW behaviors based on nanotexturation.
- Some surfaces showed fully reversible EW with no droplet impalement (35+/-2 degrees variation at 190 VTRMS).
- Other surfaces displayed non-reversible EW with partial droplet impalement.
Conclusions:
- Nanotexturation is a key factor in determining the electrowetting reversibility and impalement of superhydrophobic NWs.
- A proposed scenario explains the distinct EW properties observed.
- Understanding these properties is essential for designing tunable superhydrophobic surfaces.
