Spatially Selective Nucleation and Growth of Water Droplets on Hierarchically Patterned Polymer Surfaces

Younghyun Cho; Tae Soup Shim; Shu Yang

doi:10.1002/adma.201504899

Spatially Selective Nucleation and Growth of Water Droplets on Hierarchically Patterned Polymer Surfaces

Adv Mater. 2016 Feb 17;28(7):1433-9. doi: 10.1002/adma.201504899. Epub 2015 Dec 4.

Authors

Younghyun Cho¹, Tae Soup Shim², Shu Yang¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, 3231 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
² Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, 220 South 33rd Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.

PMID: 26635301
DOI: 10.1002/adma.201504899

Abstract

On a hierarchical polymer surface consisting of microposts and nanopillar arrays, water droplets are nucleated and grown selectively in the grooves between the microposts as the vapor pressure increases, whereas water droplets are randomly nucleated on a flat surface and surfaces consisting of microposts or nanopillars only.

Keywords: anodized aluminum oxide; hierarchical structure; preferential wetting; water droplet nucleation; wettability pattern.

Publication types

Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Aluminum Oxide / chemistry
Electrodes
Membranes, Artificial
Nanotechnology / methods*
Polymers / chemistry*
Water / chemistry*
Wettability*

Substances

Membranes, Artificial
Polymers
Water
Aluminum Oxide