Upton, Rebekah
(2021)
Highly Water Repellent Polymer-Nanoparticle Composite Coatings: Moving Towards Real World Applications.
PhD thesis, University of Liverpool.
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Abstract
Synthetic superhydrophobic materials are frequently inspired by those found in nature. Artificial surfaces have been heavily documented throughout the years, as many innovative fabrication routes have been reported within the literature, and a diverse range of materials have been employed; a broad overview of the field of superhydrophobic materials design will be discussed in chapter 1. Generally, highly water repellent materials display several inherent properties that are deemed to be commercially and industrially desirable. Yet, typically lack the level of resilience that would be required to commercially roll-out materials. Although there has been much diversity within this field, polymer-nanoparticle composites have received particular attention, for reasons addressed within the introductory chapter. The research presented within this thesis, first details a novel design principle that can be used to systematically optimise highly water repellent materials that comprise a range of hydrophobic polymers (chapter 2). In doing so, the effects that component composition has on surface hydrophobicity, microstructure and resultant functionality (self-cleaning performance) are investigated, with the aid of confocal fluorescence microscopy and other standard imaging techniques. In further experimental work, routes of imparting resilience into coatings are explored, while applying the defined design principle throughout to ensure full materials optimisation. Firstly, the UV instability issues that surround superhydrophobic pigmented coatings that comprise photoactive nanoparticles, are tackled. Whereby, alternative pigments are investigated, and both polymeric and molecular composites are studied (chapter 3). Following this, the physical durability and underwater stability issues, associated with external superhydrophobic coatings, are simultaneously addressed (chapter 4). Here, the introduction of a high-strength additive and use of an alternative design approach is used as a combined tool, to demonstrate that mechanical strength and underwater plastron stability can be significantly enhanced. Finally, the closing experimental chapter investigates the use of more sustainable hydrophobic polymers, which comprise a natural organic crosslinker and waste by-product of the petrochemical industries, for their use as multi-functional superhydrophobic coatings (chapter 5).
| Item Type: | Thesis (PhD) |
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| Divisions: | Faculty of Science and Engineering > School of Physical Sciences |
| Depositing User: | Symplectic Admin |
| Date Deposited: | 08 Feb 2022 16:16 |
| Last Modified: | 18 Jan 2023 21:14 |
| DOI: | 10.17638/03147848 |
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| URI: | https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3147848 |
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