Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Joseph O. Indekeu, Kenichiro Koga
Summary: The dihedral contact angles between interfaces in three-fluid-phase equilibria must be continuous functions of the bulk thermodynamic fields. A nonwetting gap in the phase diagram is predicted by this argument, challenging the common belief in critical-point wetting. Experimental results support this argument, showing that complete wetting is only found in a small vicinity of the tricritical point, while nonwetting prevails outside this region.
PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Amgad Salama
Summary: Replacing one immiscible fluid with another is crucial for various applications. Research has mainly focused on specific scenarios, but a new generalized model has been introduced to consider all the physics involved and not ignore the displaced fluid. Validation showed good agreement with analytical solutions and computational fluid dynamics simulations.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Mechanics
Pengfei Lv, Yu Liu, Feng Liu, Wenzhe Yang, Yahui Wang, Hantao Liu, Yongchen Song
Summary: The geometric structure variation of the nonwetting phase (NWP) in porous media plays a critical role in energy-related processes. This study used high resolution x-ray microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) to investigate the morphological and topological characteristics of NWP during gas/liquid displacements in three different rock cores. It was found that roof and distal snap-off occurred during drainage, resulting in nonwetting singlets and ganglia. Throat snap-off and pore snap-off were observed during imbibition, occurring at a single-pore scale. The trapped NWP during primary drainage can be displaced in main imbibition through snap-off events or viscous remobilization.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Elizabeth J. H. Kimbrel, Dorthe Wildenschild, Anna L. Herring, Ryan T. Armstrong
Summary: This article investigates the efficiency of CO2 trapping in geological storage. Through experiments on the imbibition and drainage processes of proxy fluids, it is found that the amount of trapped CO2 is dependent on the presence of the nonwetting phase and the initial injection method of supercritical CO2, factors that are not considered in current trapping models.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GREENHOUSE GAS CONTROL
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Zhihao Zhang, Rui Wu, Changying Zhao
Summary: The study investigates the migration, breakup, trapping, and coalescence of gas bubbles in liquid-saturated porous media at low injection rates. Different pore network structures have different effects on the bubble breakup behavior and mechanisms.
INDUSTRIAL & ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
S. Hatte, R. Pitchumani
Summary: This study systematically investigates the dynamic flow fouling of silica on different surfaces, revealing the formation and adherence mechanisms of silica aggregates. Lubricant-infused and solid-infused surfaces both reduce fouling thermal resistance, while superhydrophobic surfaces become non-wetting under flow conditions.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Jiang Li, Wenjun Wang, Ruixiang Zhu, Yuxiang Huang
Summary: In this study, a method for efficiently manufacturing a large area artificial compound eye using photolithography and inkjet printing was proposed. By adding micropillars, superhydrophobicity of microlens was achieved without affecting its optical performance. Tuning the morphology and spacing between micro pillars significantly improved the surface non-wettability stability.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2021)
Article
Physics, Fluids & Plasmas
E. Yim, A. Bouillant, F. Gallaire
Summary: The study focuses on the global linear stability of a water drop on hot nonwetting surfaces, showing that the stability of the droplet is significantly influenced by the contact angle and volume. Increasing contact angle and volume lead to destabilization of the droplet, with larger contact angles causing instability at lower volumes.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Mikelis Marnauza, Marcus Tornberg, Erik K. Martensson, Daniel Jacobsson, Kimberly A. Dick
Summary: This article presents the first experimental investigation into how nanowire diameter affects the growth dynamics by growing Au-seeded GaAs nanowires in an environmental transmission electron microscope. The data show that the incubation time is stable across the investigated diameter range, except for a sharp increase for the smallest diameter. The step-flow time is observed to steadily increase across the diameter range.
NANOSCALE HORIZONS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Claudio Boni, Gianni Royer-Carfagni
Summary: This study discusses a model of one-dimensional discrete system to interpret the complex equilibrium states of materials supporting multiple crystallographic phases, foldable macromolecules, and biological structures. The study also proposes a discrete system for bending within the broad class of flexural-tensegrity beams, with constitutive response showing non-local effects.
JOURNAL OF THE MECHANICS AND PHYSICS OF SOLIDS
(2021)
Article
Thermodynamics
K. Nithyanandam, P. Shoaei, R. Pitchumani
Summary: This paper investigates the dynamic performance and economic benefits of using nonwetting tube surfaces fabricated by electrodeposition process in thermoelectric power plant condensers. Nonwetting surfaces enhance performance by reducing fouling resistance and promoting dropwise condensation of steam on the shell side. Condensers with nonwetting surfaces are shown to reduce LCOC by a factor of 2.5 and 1.7, respectively, compared to plain titanium and aluminum-brass tubes.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
S. Hatte, R. Pitchumani
Summary: The study introduces the novel nonwetting solid-infused surfaces (SIS) with superior anti-fouling characteristics and durability compared to lubricant-infused surface (LIS) and conventional smooth surface. Results show that SIS offers better performance in fouling mitigation and can accurately predict asymptotic fouling resistance through parameter combinations. Additionally, the effects of shear durability on fouling mitigation performance of LIS versus SIS is studied for the first time, demonstrating that SIS provides a robust option for superior fouling mitigation in the long run.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
S. M. A. Mousavi, R. Pitchumani
Summary: This article presents a comprehensive study on the corrosion performance of superhydrophobic surfaces (SHSs) and lubricant-infused surfaces (LISs) under high temperatures and dynamic flow conditions. The results show that these surfaces exhibit excellent corrosion inhibition in various corrosion conditions and can easily rejuvenate to their initial state.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zhixiong Song, Eric Shen Lin, Md Hemayet Uddin, Hassan Ali Abid, Jian Wern Ong, Oi Wah Liew, Tuck Wah Ng
Summary: This study indicates that narrow vertical strip structures with high wetting properties are more efficient for fogwater collection systems compared to wider strip structures. This is because the narrow strip structures facilitate the flow of aerosol particles towards the air gaps between the strips, resulting in increased water collection efficiency.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
S. M. A. Mousavi, R. Pitchumani
Summary: Bioinspired, superhydrophobic and slippery liquid infused surfaces have been extensively studied for fouling mitigation. This study presents the first systematic investigation of dynamic fouling on these surfaces, showing their superior anti-scaling performance under various flow and temperature conditions. The study also introduces a new analytical model for describing the time evolution of scaling with high accuracy. The findings contribute to a fundamental understanding of mineral fouling on non-wetting surfaces.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Chenhao Sun, James McClure, Steffen Berg, Peyman Mostaghimi, Ryan T. Armstrong
Summary: This article proposes a universal description of wetting on multiscale surfaces through the combination of integral geometry and thermodynamic laws. The theoretical framework is presented and applied to different limiting cases. Simulations of fluid droplets on structurally rough and chemically heterogeneous surfaces are conducted to explore the wetting behavior. The findings reveal the origin of classical wetting models within the proposed framework.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Water Resources
Ruichang Guo, Laura Dalton, Dustin Crandall, James McClure, Hongsheng Wang, Zhe Li, Cheng Chen
Summary: This study investigates the impact of pore-scale wettability heterogeneity on immiscible two-fluid displacement in porous media. The results show that heterogeneous wettability causes local redistribution of CO2 and water and has a more significant effect on relative permeability curves than on capillary pressure-water saturation curves.
ADVANCES IN WATER RESOURCES
(2022)
Article
Water Resources
Ruotong Huang, Anna L. Herring, Adrian Sheppard
Summary: Understanding the mass transfer of CO2 into formation brine is crucial for the safety of geologic carbon sequestration. This study used quasi-dynamic X-ray micro-computed tomographic imaging to track the evolution of scCO2 clusters in sandstone during brine injection. The mass transfer coefficient of individual scCO2 clusters was found to range between 3.0x10-5 and 3.5x10-4 mm/s, with a macroscopic average of 1.4x10-4 mm/s. These values provide insight into the range of mass transfer coefficients expected for similar conditions. The study also highlighted the coupling of dissolution and mobilization processes, emphasizing the need to understand these dynamics for effective CO2 storage.
ADVANCES IN WATER RESOURCES
(2023)
Article
Mechanics
James E. McClure, Ming Fan, Steffen Berg, Ryan T. T. Armstrong, Carl Fredrik Berg, Zhe Li, Thomas Ramstad
Summary: Relative permeability is derived from conservation of energy and used to model fluid flow through porous materials. The study finds dynamic connectivity and explores the distribution of energy fluctuations during steady-state flow. It demonstrates the effectiveness of the conventional relative permeability relationship in simulating energy dissipation in systems with complex pore-scale dynamics.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
A. L. Herring, C. Sun, R. T. Armstrong, M. Saadatfar
Summary: Residual trapping is essential for the security and sustainability of geologic sequestration operations. Recent experiments indicate that cycles of scCO2 and brine injections can cause surface chemistry reactions, enhancing residual trapping. This study uses X-ray microcomputed tomography to investigate the alteration mechanism and provides new insights into the conditions under which wettability alteration affects scCO2 flow and trapping.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GREENHOUSE GAS CONTROL
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Tomas I. Fuenzalida, Matthew J. Blacker, Michael Turner, Adrian Sheppard, Marilyn C. Ball
Summary: This study tested whether foliar water uptake could enable embolism refilling in dehydrated twigs of the grey mangrove. Results showed that excised twigs of A. marina were able to recover from embolism by absorption of atmospheric water, suggesting that capillarity might not be the main mechanism for refilling.
Article
Water Resources
Catherine Spurin, Ryan T. Armstrong, James McClure, Steffen Berg
Summary: For multi-phase flow through multi-scale heterogeneous porous media, the interaction between multiple immiscible fluids and an intricate network of pores creates a wide range of dynamic flow phenomena. Dynamic Mode Decomposition (DMD) is proven to be a useful diagnostic tool for complex 4D flow dynamics, as it can reproduce saturation data and identify important spatial and temporal scales for flow.
ADVANCES IN WATER RESOURCES
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ying Da Wang, Quentin Meyer, Kunning Tang, James E. McClure, Robin T. White, Stephen T. Kelly, Matthew M. Crawford, Francesco Iacoviello, Dan J. L. Brett, Paul R. Shearing, Peyman Mostaghimi, Chuan Zhao, Ryan T. Armstrong
Summary: The authors utilize X-ray micro-computed tomography, deep learned super-resolution, multi-label segmentation, and direct multiphase simulation to simulate fuel cells and guide their design, addressing the challenge of accurate liquid water modelling.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Physics, Fluids & Plasmas
Fatimah Al-Zubaidi, Peyman Mostaghimi, Yufu Niu, Ryan T. Armstrong, Gelareh Mohammadi, James E. McClure, Steffen Berg
Summary: Based on Darcy's law, the two-fluid flow is influenced by a relative permeability function of saturation, which is process or path dependent and has a dependency on pore structure and wettability. Determining the effective phase permeability relationships is crucial for various applications, but the traditional approach relies on time-consuming experiments for inverse modeling. This is due to the unsolved upscaling step from pore to Darcy scale, which connects the pore structure to hydraulic conductivities. In this study, an artificial neural network (ANN) based on geometric relationships is developed to predict the mechanical energy dissipation during creeping immiscible two-fluid flow, achieving an R2 value of 0.98 for 4500 unseen pore-scale geometrical states.
PHYSICAL REVIEW FLUIDS
(2023)
Article
Mechanics
Reza Haghani, Hamidreza Erfani, James E. McClure, Carl Fredrik Berg
Summary: In this paper, the accuracy and computational cost of phase-field interface capturing equations for two-fluid systems are investigated. Two different schemes are compared, and it is found that the first scheme is faster but results in asymmetry and nonphysical interfaces. The two schemes yield equal results only in a domain with zero velocity. Theoretical analysis is conducted to highlight the differences between the two approaches.
Article
Plant Sciences
Holly A. A. Beckett, Daryl Webb, Michael Turner, Adrian Sheppard, Marilyn C. Ball
Summary: This study investigates the role of bark in water uptake in the stems of mangroves. The findings reveal that specific entry points and lenticels on the outer bark surface facilitate water uptake, increasing stem water content and maintaining hydration of living tissue. This provides novel evidence for our understanding of plant water uptake mechanisms.
PLANT CELL AND ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Physics, Fluids & Plasmas
James E. McClure, Zhe Li
Summary: We develop a mesoscopic approach to model the nonequilibrium behavior of membranes at the cellular scale. Relying on lattice Boltzmann methods, we develop a solution procedure to recover the Nernst-Planck equations and Gauss's law. Our general closure rule is able to account for protein-mediated diffusion based on a coarse-grained representation. We demonstrate that our model is capable of recovering the Goldman equation and explaining hyperpolarization due to multiple relaxation timescales in membrane charging dynamics. The approach offers a promising way to characterize non-equilibrium behaviors in realistic three-dimensional cell geometries that involve membrane-mediated transport.
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Mohammad Ebadi, James Mcclure, Peyman Mostaghimi, Ryan T. Armstrong Australia
Summary: In this study, an extended model for multiphase flow in porous media based on first principles is proposed. The advantages of the extended model, including real-time tracking of specific interfacial area, are demonstrated through comparisons with traditional models and analytical solutions. Sensitivity and stability analyses reveal the importance of the balance between permeability of the porous media and interfacial permeability. The extended model offers a better understanding of the evolution of specific interfacial area during multiphase flow.
COMPUTER METHODS IN APPLIED MECHANICS AND ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Optics
Qiheng Yang, Wilfred Fullagar, Mahsa Paziresh, Glenn Myers, Shane Latham, Adrian Sheppard, Andrew Kingston
Summary: This article investigates the measurement of photon energy and proves that the variance and mean of the total photon energy can provide independent information about the photon energy spectrum. The study reveals the application of variance data in X-ray radiography and tomography, the indication of average energy of the photon spectrum using the ratio of variance data and mean data, and the information revealed by the comparison of variance data and mean data. The research demonstrates the recovery of spectral information from common X-ray detectors and shows its potential in beam-hardening correction and quantitative tomographic reconstruction.
