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Omniphobic liquid-like surfaces

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A Publisher Correction to this article was published on 02 October 2023

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Abstract

Liquid-repellent surfaces, especially smooth solid surfaces with covalently grafted flexible polymer brushes or alkyl monolayers, are the focus of an expanding research area. Surface-tethered flexible species are highly mobile at room temperature, giving solid surfaces a unique liquid-like quality and unprecedented dynamical repellency towards various liquids regardless of their surface tension. Omniphobic liquid-like surfaces (LLSs) are a promising alternative to air-mediated superhydrophobic or superoleophobic surfaces and lubricant-mediated slippery surfaces, avoiding fabrication complexity and air/lubricant loss issues. More importantly, the liquid-like molecular layer controls many important interface properties, such as slip, friction and adhesion, which may enable novel functions and applications that are inaccessible with conventional solid coatings. In this Review, we introduce LLSs and their inherent dynamic omniphobic mechanisms. Particular emphasis is given to the fundamental principles of surface design and the consequences of the liquid-like nature for task-specific applications. We also provide an overview of the key challenges and opportunities for omniphobic LLSs.

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Fig. 1: Four types of liquid-repellent surfaces based on different design principles.
Fig. 2: Dynamics and thermodynamics of omniphobic liquid-like surfaces.
Fig. 3: Influential factors on chain mobility.
Fig. 4: Design of liquid-like monolayers and durable liquid-like coatings.
Fig. 5: Anti-liquid-adhesion, anti-bioadhesion and anti-solid-adhesion applications of smooth liquid-like surfaces.
Fig. 6: Applications of patterned LLSs and LLSs in porous materials.
Fig. 7: Perspective on future developments and remaining challenges in the field of LLSs.

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Acknowledgements

L.C., S.H. and X.T. acknowledge financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grants 22072185, 21872176 and 12072381), the Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation (grant 2021A1515110221), the Pearl River Talents Program (grant 2017GC010671) and the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province (grant 2019A1515012030). R.H.A.R. acknowledges funding from the Academy of Finland Center of Excellence Program (2022–2029) in Life-Inspired Hybrid Materials (LIBER) (project number 346109) and Academy Project (project number 342169) and from the European Research Council for funding the Consolidator Grant SuperRepel (grant agreement no. 725513).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory for Polymer Composite & Functional Materials of Ministry of Education, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronic Materials and Wearable Devices, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, P. R. China

    Liwei Chen, Shilin Huang & Xuelin Tian

  2. State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, P. R. China

    Liwei Chen, Shilin Huang & Xuelin Tian

  3. Department of Applied Physics, Aalto University School of Science, Espoo, Finland

    Robin H. A. Ras

  4. Center of Excellence in Life-Inspired Hybrid Materials (LIBER), Aalto University, Espoo, Finland

    Robin H. A. Ras

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  1. Liwei Chen
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  4. Xuelin Tian
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Contributions

L.C. wrote and edited the article. S.H., X.T. and R.H.A.R. contributed to the discussion of content and edited the manuscript before submission.

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Correspondence to Robin H. A. Ras or Xuelin Tian.

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Glossary

Advancing contact angle

(θA). The maximum stable contact angle, typically measured by increasing the volume of the droplet and watching until the solid–liquid–air three-phase contact line starts advancing.

Contact angle hysteresis

(CAH). The difference between the advancing contact angle and the receding contact angle, characterizing the surface pinning effect that resists droplet motion.

Omniphobicity

The ability of a surface to repel all types of liquid.

Receding contact angle

(θR). The minimum stable contact angle, typically measured by decreasing the volume of the droplet and watching until the solid–liquid–air three-phase contact line starts receding.

Superhydrophobic surfaces

(SHPSs). Water-repellent surfaces that have a water contact angle above 150° and a sliding angle generally below 10°.

Superoleophobic surfaces

(SOPSs). Oil-repellent surfaces that have an oil contact angle above 150° and a sliding angle generally below 10°.

Slippery lubricant-infused porous surfaces

(SLIPSs). Porous surfaces infused with a lubrication liquid that can repel immiscible probe droplets.

Static contact angle

(SCA). The apparent contact angle obtained by placing a droplet on a surface, which can have any value between the advancing and receding contact angles.

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Chen, L., Huang, S., Ras, R.H.A. et al. Omniphobic liquid-like surfaces. Nat Rev Chem 7, 123–137 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41570-022-00455-w

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