PhD project
Designing Structured Surfaces with Superwettability Properties
Supervisors
Prof. Halim Kusumaatmaja &
Prof. Glen McHale
Institute for Multiscale Thermofluids, School of Engineering, University of Edinburgh, UK
International collaborators Dr.-Ing. Hutomo Suryo Wasisto Infineon Technologies AG, Germany Prof. Kuwat Triyana
Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia
PhD Project at
the University of
Edinburgh
The wetting behaviours of liquids on solid surfaces play an important role for a wide range of engineering applications, including coatings, electronics, oil recovery, microfluidics, and inkjet printing. For many of these applications, the key challenge is to control the static and dynamic wettability of a given substrate against various liquids. To achieve such control, especially over the full range of wettability landscape, surface chemistry, while crucial, is inadequate by itself.
Recent works have shown that novel surfaces with exceptional wetting properties (often termed as superwettability) can be designed by introducing roughness, lubrication, chemical heterogeneities, and tuning the elasticity of the substrate.
The underlying theme of this PhD project is to study the rich interplay between fluid flow dynamics, surface chemistry, geometry, roughness, and solid elasticity in the context of wetting phenomena. Depending on the interests of the student, they can focus on modelling or combine modelling and experiments to develop engineering design principles for structured surfaces with superwettability properties. We will consider both model surfaces with regular patterns (e.g., posts, holes) and non-ideal, industrially relevant substrates (e.g., complex fibers, meshes). This project will also involve collaborations with our international experimental and industrial partners, Dr.-Ing. Hutomo Suryo Wasisto (Infineon Technologies AG, Germany) and Prof. Kuwat Triyana (Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia), to explore how these design principles can be exploited for applications in microelectromechanical system (MEMS) and sensor technologies.
Project description
Soft Matter
PAPER Halim Kusumaatmaja et al.
Factors controlling the pinning force of liquid droplets on liquid infused surfaces ISSN 1744-6848 rsc.li/soft-matter-journal
Volume 16 Number 35 21September 2020 Pages 8087–8300
Soft Matter
rsc.li/soft-matter-journal
ISSN 1744-6848
PAPER Ciro Semprebon, Halim Kusumaatmaja et al.
Apparent contact angle and contact angle hysteresis on liquid infused surfaces
Themed issue: Soft Matter emerging investigators 2017 Volume 13 Number 1 7 January 2017 Pages 1–294
Further Reading
S. Wang et al., Bioinspired Surfaces with Superwettability: New Insight on Theory, Design, and
Applications, Chem. Rev. 115, 8157 (2015).
J. Panter et al., Multifaceted Design Optimisation for Superomniphobic Surfaces, Sci. Adv. 5, eaav7328 (2019).
M. Sadullah et al., Bidirectional Motion of Droplets on Gradient Liquid Infused Surfaces, Commun.
Phys. 3, 166 (2020).
M. Krause et al., OpenLB - Open Source Lattice Boltzmann Code, Comput. Math. with Appl. 81, 258 (2021).
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Entry requirements
• The student is expected to have achieved the equivalent of a 1st class honours Bachelor's degree, or at least a 2:1 Integrated Master’s degree or a Master's degree, in Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, or any other related subject.
• We are particularly keen to hear from applicants who want to develop expertise in fluids, surfaces, and/or simulations using high performance computing. Prior experience in any of these areas is useful but not a necessity to apply.
• The student must also meet the University’s English language requirements. Further details can be found at https://bit.ly/entryedinburgh
Formal application to the
University of Edinburgh should be made via https://bit.ly/
applyPhDedinburgh.
Informal enquiries can be made to Prof. Halim Kusumaatmaja ([email protected]).
Prof. Kusumaatmaja is moving to the University of Edinburgh in May 2024. Further details about the group can be found at
https://sites.google.com/site/
kusumaatmaja.
How to apply
Applications are welcomed from self-funded students, or students who are applying for scholarships from the University of Edinburgh or
elsewhere: https://bit.ly/scholarshipedinburgh
Funding note
Ensikat, H. J. et al. Beilstein J Nanotechnol (2011) Barthlott, W. et al. Adv. Mat. (2010) Helbig R. et. al, PLoS ONE (2011)
For more information