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Title: Mobile Interfaces: Liquids as a Perfect Structural Material for Multifunctional, Antifouling Surfaces

Abstract

Life creates some of its most robust, extreme surface materials not from solids but from liquids: a purely liquid interface, stabilized by underlying nanotexture, makes carnivorous plant leaves ultraslippery, the eye optically perfect and dirt-resistant, our knees lubricated and pressure-tolerant, and insect feet reversibly adhesive and shape-adaptive. Novel liquid surfaces based on this idea have recently been shown to display unprecedented omniphobic, self-healing, anti-ice, antifouling, optical, and adaptive properties. In this Perspective, we present a framework and a path forward for developing and designing such liquid surfaces into sophisticated, versatile multifunctional materials. Drawing on concepts from solid materials design and fluid dynamics, we outline how the continuous dynamics, responsiveness, and multiscale patternability of a liquid surface layer can be harnessed to create a wide range of unique, active interfacial functions able to operate in harsh, changing environments not achievable with static solids. We discuss how, in partnership with the underlying substrate, the liquid surface can be programmed to adaptively and reversibly reconfigure from a defect-free, molecularly smooth, transparent interface through a range of finely tuned liquid topographies in response to environmental stimuli. With nearly unlimited design possibilities and unmatched interfacial properties, liquid materials as long-term stable interfaces yet in theirmore » fully liquid state may potentially transform surface design everywhere from medicine to architecture to energy infrastructure.« less

Authors:
;
Publication Date:
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E)
OSTI Identifier:
1211120
DOE Contract Number:  
DE-AR0000326
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Chemistry of Materials
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 26; Journal Issue: 1; Journal ID: ISSN 0897-4756
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Citation Formats

Grinthal, A, and Aizenberg, J. Mobile Interfaces: Liquids as a Perfect Structural Material for Multifunctional, Antifouling Surfaces. United States: N. p., 2014. Web. doi:10.1021/cm402364d.
Grinthal, A, & Aizenberg, J. Mobile Interfaces: Liquids as a Perfect Structural Material for Multifunctional, Antifouling Surfaces. United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/cm402364d
Grinthal, A, and Aizenberg, J. 2014. "Mobile Interfaces: Liquids as a Perfect Structural Material for Multifunctional, Antifouling Surfaces". United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/cm402364d.
@article{osti_1211120,
title = {Mobile Interfaces: Liquids as a Perfect Structural Material for Multifunctional, Antifouling Surfaces},
author = {Grinthal, A and Aizenberg, J},
abstractNote = {Life creates some of its most robust, extreme surface materials not from solids but from liquids: a purely liquid interface, stabilized by underlying nanotexture, makes carnivorous plant leaves ultraslippery, the eye optically perfect and dirt-resistant, our knees lubricated and pressure-tolerant, and insect feet reversibly adhesive and shape-adaptive. Novel liquid surfaces based on this idea have recently been shown to display unprecedented omniphobic, self-healing, anti-ice, antifouling, optical, and adaptive properties. In this Perspective, we present a framework and a path forward for developing and designing such liquid surfaces into sophisticated, versatile multifunctional materials. Drawing on concepts from solid materials design and fluid dynamics, we outline how the continuous dynamics, responsiveness, and multiscale patternability of a liquid surface layer can be harnessed to create a wide range of unique, active interfacial functions able to operate in harsh, changing environments not achievable with static solids. We discuss how, in partnership with the underlying substrate, the liquid surface can be programmed to adaptively and reversibly reconfigure from a defect-free, molecularly smooth, transparent interface through a range of finely tuned liquid topographies in response to environmental stimuli. With nearly unlimited design possibilities and unmatched interfacial properties, liquid materials as long-term stable interfaces yet in their fully liquid state may potentially transform surface design everywhere from medicine to architecture to energy infrastructure.},
doi = {10.1021/cm402364d},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1211120}, journal = {Chemistry of Materials},
issn = {0897-4756},
number = 1,
volume = 26,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jan 14 00:00:00 EST 2014},
month = {Tue Jan 14 00:00:00 EST 2014}
}

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