Antireflection Surfaces Prepared from Fluorinated Latex Particles

We prepared porous antireflection surfaces from spin-coating of poly(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl methacrylate) (PTFEMA) latex particles onto bare glass slides. Optical properties resulting from two different coating structures, multilayer and submonolayer of latex particles, were studied depending upon the particle size. In both cases, the characteristic matrix theory based on the classical Fresnel coefficient of reflection applied to estimate the effective refractive index and thickness of the porous coatings from experimentally measured reflectance spectra. The particle fraction in the coatings was estimated by using a volume-averaged refractive index. For porous multilayer coatings prepared from 47 nm PTFEMA latex particles, it was found that the effective refractive indices (neff ∼ 1.34) and reflectance minima (Rmin ∼ 0.7%) were almost constant and independent of the coating thickness. On the other hand, the effective refractive indices were strongly dependent on the coating conditions in the case of submonolayer coatings of 140 nm PTFEMA latex particles. As increasing the solid content of the coating solutions or, equivalently, as increasing the particle fraction in the coatings, the effective refractive indices increased. The minimum specular reflectance was as low as 0.2% when the particle volume fraction in the coating was 0.40

Tuning Surface Properties of Poly(methyl methacrylate) Film Using Poly(perfluoromethyl methacrylate)s with Short Perfluorinated Side Chains

To control the surface properties of a commonly used polymer, poly­(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), poly­(perfluoromethyl methacrylate)­s (PFMMAs) with short perfluorinated side groups (i.e., −CF₃, −CF₂CF₃, −(CF₃)₂, −CF₂CF₂CF₃) were used as blend components because of their good solubility in organic solvents, low surface energies, and high optical transmittance. The surface energies of the blend films of PFMMA with the −CF₃ group and PMMA increased continuously with increasing PMMA contents from 17.6 to 26.0 mN/m, whereas those of the other polymer blend films remained at very low levels (10.2–12.6 mN/m), similar to those of pure PFMMAs, even when the blends contained 90 wt %PMMA. Surface morphology and composition measurements revealed that this result originated from the different blend structures, such as lateral and vertical phase separations. We expect that these PFMMAs will be useful in widening the applicable window of PMMA

Flexible, Elastic, and Superhydrophobic/Superoleophilic Adhesive for Reusable and Durable Water/Oil Separation Coating

This study investigates a highly flexible/stretchable and mechanically durable superhydrophobic/superoleophilic coating for efficient oil/water separation and oil absorption. The coating is applied via a simple immersion process using a mixed solution of a biocompatible adhesive (ethyl cyanoacrylate, ECA), a highly stretchable polymer (polycaprolactone, PCL), and superhydrophobic/superoleophilic nanoparticles (fluorine-coated silica nanoparticles, F-SiO2 NPs) in a solvent, followed by solvent evaporation and ECA polymerization. Polymerized ECA (poly-ECA) in the coating material strongly adheres the F-SiO2 NPs to the substrate surface, while PCL bestows the rigid poly-ECA with high flexibility. A coated polyurethane sponge exhibits superhydrophobicity (water contact angle of >150°), while retaining robust mechanical stability and flexibility/elasticity. This provides an efficient means of cleaning oil spills with high selectivity, even after mechanical abrasion (>99% separation efficiency is retained after 120 tape test cycles and 50 rubbing test cycles), with excellent reusability

Recurrence plots (upper panels) and corresponding concentration time series (lower panels) for selected locations in the plume: (A) x = 50 cm, (B) x = 150 cm from the source along the plume centerline, and (C) y = 10 cm from the centerline at x = 150 cm, where height is 2.5 cm from the substratum.

<p>Black points in the recurrence plots indicate that recurrence occurs; white regions indicate that recurrence does not occur (see <a href="http://www.ploscompbiol.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1004682#sec002" target="_blank">Results</a>).</p

Recurrence time and position in the plume.

<p>(A) Example trajectory in reconstructed phase space. Two types of recurrence time index are obtained by averaging time intervals between all successive recurrent points () or only returning points () in a circle of radius <i>r</i> centered at a reference point <b>x</b>₀. To estimate , the refractory period of at least some bORNs in the population would need to be short relative to the times between successive recurrence points. can be estimated with longer refractory periods. (B) Mean (points) and standard deviation of and indices for positions in downstream direction. (C) Mean and standard deviation of and indices for positions in cross-stream direction.</p

Odor plume PLIF videos taken at 15 locations.

<p>Instantaneous odor concentration (expressed as % of source concentration) at (A) x = 50 cm, (B) x = 100 cm, (C) x = 150 cm, (D) x = 200 cm, (E) x = 250 cm from the source along the odor plume centerline, and (F) y = 5 cm, (G) y = 10 cm from the odor plume centerline at x = 150 cm.</p

Flexible, Elastic, and Superhydrophobic/Superoleophilic Adhesive for Reusable and Durable Water/Oil Separation Coating

This study investigates a highly flexible/stretchable and mechanically durable superhydrophobic/superoleophilic coating for efficient oil/water separation and oil absorption. The coating is applied via a simple immersion process using a mixed solution of a biocompatible adhesive (ethyl cyanoacrylate, ECA), a highly stretchable polymer (polycaprolactone, PCL), and superhydrophobic/superoleophilic nanoparticles (fluorine-coated silica nanoparticles, F-SiO2 NPs) in a solvent, followed by solvent evaporation and ECA polymerization. Polymerized ECA (poly-ECA) in the coating material strongly adheres the F-SiO2 NPs to the substrate surface, while PCL bestows the rigid poly-ECA with high flexibility. A coated polyurethane sponge exhibits superhydrophobicity (water contact angle of >150°), while retaining robust mechanical stability and flexibility/elasticity. This provides an efficient means of cleaning oil spills with high selectivity, even after mechanical abrasion (>99% separation efficiency is retained after 120 tape test cycles and 50 rubbing test cycles), with excellent reusability

Flexible, Elastic, and Superhydrophobic/Superoleophilic Adhesive for Reusable and Durable Water/Oil Separation Coating

This study investigates a highly flexible/stretchable and mechanically durable superhydrophobic/superoleophilic coating for efficient oil/water separation and oil absorption. The coating is applied via a simple immersion process using a mixed solution of a biocompatible adhesive (ethyl cyanoacrylate, ECA), a highly stretchable polymer (polycaprolactone, PCL), and superhydrophobic/superoleophilic nanoparticles (fluorine-coated silica nanoparticles, F-SiO2 NPs) in a solvent, followed by solvent evaporation and ECA polymerization. Polymerized ECA (poly-ECA) in the coating material strongly adheres the F-SiO2 NPs to the substrate surface, while PCL bestows the rigid poly-ECA with high flexibility. A coated polyurethane sponge exhibits superhydrophobicity (water contact angle of >150°), while retaining robust mechanical stability and flexibility/elasticity. This provides an efficient means of cleaning oil spills with high selectivity, even after mechanical abrasion (>99% separation efficiency is retained after 120 tape test cycles and 50 rubbing test cycles), with excellent reusability

Flexible, Elastic, and Superhydrophobic/Superoleophilic Adhesive for Reusable and Durable Water/Oil Separation Coating

This study investigates a highly flexible/stretchable and mechanically durable superhydrophobic/superoleophilic coating for efficient oil/water separation and oil absorption. The coating is applied via a simple immersion process using a mixed solution of a biocompatible adhesive (ethyl cyanoacrylate, ECA), a highly stretchable polymer (polycaprolactone, PCL), and superhydrophobic/superoleophilic nanoparticles (fluorine-coated silica nanoparticles, F-SiO2 NPs) in a solvent, followed by solvent evaporation and ECA polymerization. Polymerized ECA (poly-ECA) in the coating material strongly adheres the F-SiO2 NPs to the substrate surface, while PCL bestows the rigid poly-ECA with high flexibility. A coated polyurethane sponge exhibits superhydrophobicity (water contact angle of >150°), while retaining robust mechanical stability and flexibility/elasticity. This provides an efficient means of cleaning oil spills with high selectivity, even after mechanical abrasion (>99% separation efficiency is retained after 120 tape test cycles and 50 rubbing test cycles), with excellent reusability

Flexible, Elastic, and Superhydrophobic/Superoleophilic Adhesive for Reusable and Durable Water/Oil Separation Coating

This study investigates a highly flexible/stretchable and mechanically durable superhydrophobic/superoleophilic coating for efficient oil/water separation and oil absorption. The coating is applied via a simple immersion process using a mixed solution of a biocompatible adhesive (ethyl cyanoacrylate, ECA), a highly stretchable polymer (polycaprolactone, PCL), and superhydrophobic/superoleophilic nanoparticles (fluorine-coated silica nanoparticles, F-SiO2 NPs) in a solvent, followed by solvent evaporation and ECA polymerization. Polymerized ECA (poly-ECA) in the coating material strongly adheres the F-SiO2 NPs to the substrate surface, while PCL bestows the rigid poly-ECA with high flexibility. A coated polyurethane sponge exhibits superhydrophobicity (water contact angle of >150°), while retaining robust mechanical stability and flexibility/elasticity. This provides an efficient means of cleaning oil spills with high selectivity, even after mechanical abrasion (>99% separation efficiency is retained after 120 tape test cycles and 50 rubbing test cycles), with excellent reusability