Surface characteristics of polymer nanocomposites

Abstract

The performance of optical and electronic detectors and sensors are affected by surface and bulk impurities. In some cases, nanoscale thin films are used as detectors and their life cycle is significantly decreased. In the case of conformal shapes, surfaces with different polishing, decoration and geometries exhibit unusual wetting and nucleation characteristics for impurities and this requires continuous attention for cleaning. The situation for space borne components and vehicles surfaces exposed to wetting liquids requires remote cleaning. In the present paper, we report the effect of surface topographies of substrates with nanoengineered titanium oxide and copper oxide nanoparticles embodied in polystyrene and study the effect of the composites to create different hydrophobic characteristics with great potential for detectors and sensors operating in ultra-violet and infrared regions.

Effect of processing parameters on sensing of chem-bio agents on surfaces: contact angle-based interactions

“…The sensitivity of a sensor depends on the activity of the sensing materials on the surface to be determined. A great deal of research has been performed on the flow of liquid on surfaces decorated with complex geometries exhibiting unusual wetting properties [1][2]. It is well established that the surface of even a moderately hydrophobic material can become highly water repellent when decorated with a pattern of microscopic pillars [3][4][5].…”