Current Week Activities:
– Polystyrene deposited on glass substrate
– Delivered P4VP deposited on iPP surfaces
– The behavior of water droplets on hydrophilic-superhydrophobicsurface observed (P4VP on iPP)
– PVC pipes and titanium wires of different gauges purchased for eventual demonstration
– Literature research conducted to find additional superhydrophilic materials as well as methods of deposition
– Patterning techniques on either flat surfaces or wires explored
Proposed Work for the Upcoming Week:
Research:
- Look into potential superhydrophilic materials
- Find a feasible deposition and patterning method for superhydrophilic material
- Refine the demonstration concept
Laboratory:
- Experiment with depositing iPP onto PVC pipe and titanium wires
- Assemble a finished apparatus featuring both iPP and P4VP covered wires
- Create a superhydrophilic pattern atop an iPP base
- Explore a more consistent means to measure contact angle
Time Log:
– David Perez: 6 hours
– Matthew Rohde: 7.5 hours
– Noah Lozada: 7.5 hours
– Adrian Yao: 12 hours
Additional Comments:
From further group discussion, the results with the iPP surface will require no further refinement, because sufficiently homogeneous surfaces were created that showed contact angles readily suiting our purposes. The behavior of the P4VP however, disappointed slightly though its hyrdrophilicity could clearly be seen from the accumulation of water droplets on the mixed surface to the spots where P4VP had been deposited. The final demonstration will rely on a superhydrophilic surface to accumulate liquid water from the surrounding vapor, but P4VP seems insufficiently hydrophilic for the task. Other promising materials are silica and titania, that have been shown to demonstrate contact angles as low as zero degrees. Unfortunately, these demonstrations involved processes beyond the scope of our time and budget, so other deposition and patterning methods must be found. Some form of photolithography may be useful, as photomasking presents a viable way of creating exact, detailed patterns. Paper filters also present another option, with the patterns of the superhydrophilic material determined by the pore size of the filter. The choices made on the deposition and patterning methods will also depend on the choice of the final demonstration to be created. While the idea of a PVC pipe containing wires coated with the superhydrophobic and superhydrophilic materials is still being explored, the possibility of creating a flat surface with both materials will be considered as a less ambitious but more feasible proof of concept. Other ideas include weaving threads of fiber coated with either the superhydrophilic or superhydrophobic material into a fabric that could potentially imitate the Namib Desert Beatle.