Wetting Performance of Worn Superhydrophobic Surfaces

• Author / Creator

  Singh, Maninderjit

• This thesis is concerned with the effect of mechanical wear on superhydrophobic surfaces (SHS). This work, for the first time, systematically details the simultaneous surface topography and wetting behavior changes upon abrasion of SHS. The process of physical abrasion was also simulated on the artificial terrains. An intrinsically hydrophobic polymer (PTFE) was plasma etched to fabricate SHS, as wear would solely change surface topography and avoid chemical complications. Wetting behavior was monitored using advancing and receding contact angles (CA). Confocal scanning microscopy (CSM) was used to monitor topography quantitatively using surface topographical descriptors.
  In initial stages of wear receding and advancing CA, remained largely unchanged. Excessive wear resulted in a large increase in CA hysteresis and lowering of the advancing CA. Wetting behavior was correlated with topographical descriptors. Trends in RMS roughness, Skewness and Kurtosis can act as guiding factors towards predicting CA hysteresis on the surface. Main finding was that the physical abrasion can be simulated computationally on analogous artificial terrains.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Abrasion algorithm
  • Wetting
  • Kurtosis
  • Skewness
  • Confocal scanning microscopy
  • Superhydrophobic surfaces
  • Roughness

• Graduation date

  Spring 2013

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3542J

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.