| Title | Water droplet behavior on superhydrophobic SiO2 nanocomposite films during icing/deicing cycles. |
| Publication Type | Journal Article |
| Year of Publication | 2013 |
| Journal | Materials Characterization |
| Volume | 82 |
| Pagination | 9 - 16 |
| Authors | Lazauskas, A., A. Guobiene, I. Prosycevas, V. Baltrusaitis, V. Grigaliunas, P. Narmontas, and J. Baltrusaitis |
| Publisher | Elsevier |
| ISBN Number | 1044-5803 |
| Keywords | silica film interface hydrophobicity water droplet icing deicing |
| Abstract | This work investigates water droplet behavior on superhydrophobic (water contact angle value of 162 ± 1°) SiO2 nanocomposite films subjected to repetitive icing/deicing treatments, changes in SiO2 nanocomposite film surface morphol. and their non-wetting characteristics. During the expt., water droplets on SiO2 nanocomposite film surface are subjected to a series of icing and deicing cycles in a humid (∼ 70% relative humidity) atm. and the resulting morphol. changes are monitored and characterized using at. force microscopy (AFM) and contact angle measurements. The formation of the frozen or thawed water droplet, with no further shape change, on superhydrophobic SiO2 nanocomposite film, is obtained faster within each cycle as the no. of the icing/deicing cycles increases. After 10 icing and deicing cycles, the superhydrophobic SiO2 nanocomposite film had a water contact angle value of 146 ± 2° which is effectively non-superhydrophobic. AFM anal. showed that the superhydrophobic SiO2 nanocomposite film surface area under the water droplet undergoes gradual mech. damage during the repetitive icing/deicing cycles. We propose a possible mechanism of the morphol. changes to the film surface that take place during the consecutive icing/deicing expts. [on SciFinder(R)] |