Advances in super hydrophobic coatings
Channel: ANU TV
Date: 2016-06-11

ANU researchers Antonio Tricoli and David Nisbet have developed a multi-layered film system with applications as transferable superhydrophobic and superhydrophilic coatings.

Nanostructured coatings have a range of applications in many different fields but current manufacturing processes are costly, complex, require expensive infrastructure and are fabricated directly on the substrate of interest.

Antonio and David have developed a multi-layered film system that overcomes these limitations, and is based on the well-established, low-cost manufacturing technique of electrospinning. The current research is focussed on demonstrating the commercial potential of nanocoatings developed using the new process, in particular superhydrophobic (i.e. exceptional at repelling water) and superhydrophilic (i.e. exceptional at spreading water across the surface) coatings that provide self-cleaning, anti-wetting and antifogging/-icing functions.