Review
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Hong-Huy Tran, Daeyeon Lee, David Riassetto
Summary: Slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces (SLIPS) have wide applications in coating due to their remarkable liquid repellency. The stability of the lubricant layer within SLIPS is crucial for their functionality, but it can deplete over time, leading to degradation of liquid repellency. Wetting ridge formation is a primary cause of lubricant depletion. This article presents an understanding of wetting ridges and advancements in their investigation and suppression on SLIPS, as well as explores new directions for SLIPS research.
REPORTS ON PROGRESS IN PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xing Han, Xin Tang, Rifei Chen, Wei Li, Pingan Zhu, Liqiu Wang
Summary: A citrus-peel-like micro-cavity structure was proposed for designing durable SLIPS, demonstrating enhanced durability and precise droplet manipulation. The structure is beneficial for various applications in need of loss-free, contamination-free, and programmable droplet manipulation.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Yi Zou, Kunyan Lu, Yuancheng Lin, Yan Wu, Yaran Wang, Luohuizi Li, Chaobo Huang, Yanxia Zhang, John L. Brash, Hong Chen, Qian Yu
Summary: A dual-functional antibiofilm surface has been developed to target the middle stage of biofilm formation, successfully preventing the formation of biofilms involving different bacteria. This surface not only inhibits bacterial adhesion but also releases antibiofilm molecules under acidic conditions in the microenvironment to interfere with biofilm development processes.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Dagui Wang, Jinglong Yang, Junchang Guo, Zhijuan Duan, Deihui Wang, Fan Xia, Fei Deng, Xu Deng
Summary: Liquid-like polymer lubricating surfaces (LPLSs) are solid substrates with highly flexible polymer chains grafted via covalent bonds, which enables them to have ultralow contact-angle hysteresis, repellency of various liquids and bulk ice, and stability. LPLSs have potential applications in liquid motion, biological detection, and environmental protection.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Bidisha Bhatt, Shivam Gupta, Meenaxi Sharma, Krishnacharya Khare
Summary: The stability of thin lubricating fluid-coated slippery surfaces depends on the surface energy of the underlying solid surface. Experiments show that underneath lubricating films undergo initial thinning and subsequently dewet, with the dewetting dynamics and final pattern depending strongly on the thickness of the lubricating films.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Pengcheng Sun, Xiuqing Hao, Yuankai Jin, Yingying Yin, Chenyang Wu, Jie Zhang, Lujia Gao, Steven Wang, Zuankai Wang
Summary: This study proposes a heterogeneous water-infused divergent surface (WIDS) that can effectively transport high-viscosity liquids by reducing viscous drag through its heterogeneous, slippery topological design and generating capillary forces through its heterogeneous wetting distributions. Experimental results show that this heterogeneous design can transport liquids with viscosities exceeding 12,500 mPa s, which is two orders of magnitude higher than current state-of-the-art techniques. Furthermore, this heterogeneous design is applicable to various high-viscosity liquids and can be made flexible, making it promising for applications in systems that require viscous liquid management, such as micropatterning.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Mattia Carneri, Davide Ferraro, Afshin Azarpour, Alessio Meggiolaro, Sebastian Cremaschini, Daniele Filippi, Matteo Pierno, Giuliano Zanchetta, Giampaolo Mistura
Summary: The use of highly slippery lubricated surfaces can facilitate the movement of high-viscosity YSF droplets. The droplets slide on the lubricated surfaces and roll down when their descending speed increases, especially at high inclinations and low concentrations.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Fang Wang, Meijin Liu, Cong Liu, Qilong Zhao, Ting Wang, Zuankai Wang, Xuemin Du
Summary: Slippery lubricant-infused porous (SLIPS) and superhydrophobic surfaces have emerged as promising interfacial materials. We developed a class of slippery material that harnesses the dual advantages of both solid and lubricant by constructing a photothermal-responsive composite matrix with real-time light-induced surface charge regeneration capability. The resulting light-induced charged slippery surface (LICS) allows for photocontrol of droplets with fast speed, long distance, antigravity motion, and directionally collective motion. The LICS is further extended to biomedical domains for specific morphological hydrogel bead formation and biological diagnosis and analysis.
Review
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Divyansh Tripathi, Prauteeto Ray, Ajay Vikram Singh, Vimal Kishore, Swarn Lata Singh
Summary: Slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces (SLIPS) are a unique approach to prevent fouling when in contact with aqueous media, organic fluids, or biological organisms. These surfaces consist of a liquid lubricant locked within the protrusions of a textured solid. Drops immiscible to the lubricant exhibit high mobility and low-contact-angle hysteresis on these surfaces. SLIPS have promising applications in anti-fouling surfaces, drag reduction, and fluid manipulation. However, lubricant depletion poses a challenge to the real-world application of SLIPS. This review focuses on enhancing the lubricant retention abilities of SLIPS and discusses the mechanisms responsible for lubricant depletion.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Q. Legrand, S. Benayoun, S. Valette
Summary: This study investigates the anisotropic wetting on textured surfaces. Three stripe-like textures with different heights were created using three different polymers. The contact angle in all directions was measured using a lab-built goniometer. Two different behaviors, correlated to the wetting state, were observed. The Wenzel state showed strong anisotropy, with the contact angle following a Gaussian evolution. The Cassie-Baxter state, on the other hand, exhibited no anisotropy, with the contact angle remaining constant and close to the predicted value. This study deepens our understanding of droplet anisotropy by linking it to surface textures and chemistry.
APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Szu-Hao Cho, Piljae Joo, Chi Zhang, Elizabeth A. Lewis, Bryan D. Vogt, Nicole S. Zacharia
Summary: This study demonstrates a simple and practical approach to generate patterned slippery surfaces without the need for complex chemical modification. By preparing a super-hydrophobic base film and coating a BPEI patterning solution, a slippery surface with the ability to constrain liquid motion can be achieved.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Applied
Wenhui Yao, Liang Wu, Lidong Sun, Bin Jiang, Fusheng Pan
Summary: This review provides an overview of the recent progress and applications of slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces (SLIPS) in anti-icing, anti-corrosion, antifouling, and surface omniphobicity. It discusses the bio-inspired design of the SLIPS system and various fabrication strategies involving liquid or solid lubricants on surfaces with different wetting properties. The typical applications of SLIPS, including oil/water separation, anti-icing, anti-fouling, and anticorrosion, are summarized and compared, and the future perspectives are discussed based on the latest studies.
PROGRESS IN ORGANIC COATINGS
(2022)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Lei Xie, Xin Cui, Jing Liu, Qiuyi Lu, Jun Huang, Xiaohui Mao, Diling Yang, Jinglin Tan, Hao Zhang, Hongbo Zeng
Summary: The mussel-inspired polydopamine (PDA) can be deposited on various substrates and possess versatile wet adhesion, but its interaction with slippery surfaces remains unclear. Liquid-infused poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (LI-PTFE) and solid slippery surfaces were found to effectively prevent PDA deposition, with LI-PTFE demonstrating excellent antifouling and self-cleaning properties even when interacting with PDA wet adhesives.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Federico Veronesi, Guia Guarini, Alessandro Corozzi, Mariarosa Raimondo
Summary: Liquid-repellent surfaces, especially Slippery, Liquid-Infused Porous Surfaces (SLIPS), show potential for application in harsh environments due to their superior durability compared to superhydrophobic surfaces. The chemical composition and viscosity of the infused liquid layer are crucial in determining SLIPS durability, with highly viscous liquids providing enhanced resistance to abrasion stress and chemical attack, making them suitable for long-lasting liquid-repellent surfaces.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Bidisha Bhatt, Shivam Gupta, Vasudevan Sumathi, Sivasurender Chandran, Krishnacharya Khare
Summary: The stability of thin liquid films on a surface is influenced by various short-range and long-range interactions that contribute to the excess free energy of the system. Controlling the stability of thin liquid films can be achieved by manipulating the total excess free energy using external stimuli such as electric fields, temperature, or light. This study focuses on the electric-field induced reversible dewetting and rewetting of thin liquid films underneath aqueous drops on slippery surfaces. The findings demonstrate the complete reversibility of the process through multiple cycles.
ADVANCED MATERIALS INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Jacob R. Brooks, Douglas J. Chonko, Matthew Pigott, Anne C. Sullivan, Kelly Moore, Paul Stoodley
Summary: This study aimed to investigate whether certain components and their surface features are more prone to biofilm formation in primary total joint arthroplasty. It was found that biofilm predominantly formed on the non-articulating surfaces between components and on ridges and edges. This has important implications for intraoperative debridement, retention choices, and implant design.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Erum Razvi, Gregory B. Whitfield, Courtney Reichhardt, Julia E. Dreifus, Alexandra R. Willis, Oxana B. Gluscencova, Erin S. Gloag, Tarek S. Awad, Jacquelyn D. Rich, Daniel Passos da Silva, Whitney Bond, Francois Le Mauff, Donald C. Sheppard, Benjamin D. Hatton, Paul Stoodley, Aaron W. Reinke, Gabrielle L. Boulianne, Daniel J. Wozniak, Joe J. Harrison, Matthew R. Parsek, P. Lynne Howell
Summary: Pel exopolysaccharide biosynthetic loci are widespread biofilm matrix determinants in bacteria. In Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the glycoside hydrolase activity of PelA decreases adherent biofilm biomass and generates the low molecular weight secreted form of the Pel exopolysaccharide. Secreted Pel contributes to the biomechanical properties of the biofilm and decreases the virulence of P. aeruginosa in Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila melanogaster.
NPJ BIOFILMS AND MICROBIOMES
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Erin S. Gloag, Yalda Khosravi, James G. Masters, Daniel J. Wozniak, Carlo Amorin Daep, Paul Stoodley
Summary: Mechanical removal of dental plaque is augmented with therapeutic compounds to promote oral health. A dentifrice containing the ingredients zinc and arginine has shown efficacy at reducing dental plaque both in vitro and in vivo. However, how these active compounds interact together to facilitate dental plaque removal is unclear. Here, we used a combination of biophysical analyses and microscopy to demonstrate that combined treatment with zinc and arginine targets the matrix of dental plaque biofilms, which destabilized the mechanical integrity of these microbial communities, making them more susceptible to removal by shear forces.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Anam Abbas, Gary G. Wells, Glen McHale, Khellil Sefiane, Daniel Orejon
Summary: Wetting is crucial in the interactions between liquids and solid surfaces, and can be controlled by modifying the chemistry and structures of the surface. This study investigates the grafting of silicone oil with different viscosities and layers on smooth silicon substrates, and demonstrates the fabrication of low-contact line-pinning hydrophobic surfaces with high contact angles and low contact angle hysteresis. The findings provide a basis for selecting appropriate silicone oil grafting methods and parameters for specific applications.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Olivia Lili Zhang, John Yun Niu, Ollie Yiru Yu, May Lei Mei, Nicholas Stephen Jakubovics, Chun Hung Chu
Summary: The objective of this study was to review the design methods used for peptides in caries management. Two researchers systematically reviewed in vitro studies and assessed bias risk. The review identified 3592 publications, of which 62 were selected. Template-based design method and conjugation method were the most commonly used in developing peptides for caries management.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Amelia Staats, Peter W. W. Burback, Nadia N. N. Casillas-Ituarte, Daniel Li, Michaela R. R. Hostetler, Anne Sullivan, Alexander R. R. Horswill, Steven K. K. Lower, Paul Stoodley
Summary: The formation of a bacterial biofilm in the postsurgical joint environment significantly complicates the resolution of an infection. This study investigated the mechanisms of Staphylococcus aureus aggregation in synovial fluid and identified clumping factor A as the primary genetic determinant of aggregation. The study also found that the size and antibiotic tolerance of the aggregates formed under different conditions varied.
JOURNAL OF BACTERIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Alex Jenkins, Gary G. G. Wells, Rodrigo Ledesma-Aguilar, Daniel Orejon, Steven Armstrong, Glen McHale
Summary: The evaporation of sessile droplets on a surface is affected by factors such as surface wettability, environment, contact angle hysteresis, and surface roughness. The presence of constituents and impurities in non-pure liquids complicates the evaporation characteristics of droplets. This study demonstrates that by using smooth surfaces with low contact angle hysteresis, the crystallization of saline droplets can be suppressed, leading to stable droplets above the saturation concentration. These findings have implications for heat and mass transfer in low humidity environments.
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Rui Han, Xi-Qiao Feng, Waldemar Vollmer, Paul Stoodley, Jinju Chen
Summary: Bacteria adapt the mechanical properties of their cell envelope, including cell wall stiffness, turgor, and cell wall tension and deformation, to grow and survive in harsh environments. This study quantified the mechanical properties and turgor of Staphylococcus epidermidis using theoretical modelling and experimental approaches. The results showed that high osmolarity leads to a decrease in both cell wall stiffness and turgor, and that the turgor change is associated with a change in bacterial cell viscosity. The study also found that cell wall tension is higher in deionized water and decreases with an increase in osmolality.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Microbiology
Victor Choi, Jennifer L. Rohn, Paul Stoodley, Dario Carugo, Eleanor Stride
Summary: In this Review, emerging drug delivery strategies are discussed as a means to improve the clinical efficacy of antibiofilm agents in preventing and eliminating pathogenic biofilms. The potential benefits of these techniques include improved penetration of antimicrobials through biofilms, enhanced drug dispersal, and synergistic bactericidal effects. However, current limitations and future prospects for these therapies in the clinic are also highlighted.
NATURE REVIEWS MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Louisa J. Stewart, YoungJin Hong, Isabel R. Holmes, Samantha J. Firth, Yasmin Ahmed, Janet Quinn, Yazmin Santos, Steven L. Cobb, Nicholas S. Jakubovics, Karrera Y. Djoko
Summary: Histatin-5 is a cationic, His-rich, Zn(II)-binding peptide in human saliva that displays antimicrobial activity against fungal and bacterial pathogens. However, it does not kill streptococcal species that normally colonize the human oral cavity and oropharynx under conditions characteristic of human saliva. Instead, it exerts subtle effects on streptococci by modulating Zn(II) availability.
ACS INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Luke Haworth, Deyu Yang, Prashant Agrawal, Hamdi Torun, Xianghui Hou, Glen McHale, Yongqing Fu
Summary: Ice nucleation and accretion on structural surfaces are major safety and operational concerns. Various methods are used to tackle this issue, and in this study, the ice adhesion properties of different coated substrates were explored. Among the studied surfaces, the SOCAL coating with flexible polymer brushes and liquid-like structure significantly reduced ice adhesion. This reduction is attributed to the flexible nature of the brush-like structures, allowing ice to detach easily.
NANOTECHNOLOGY AND PRECISION ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Physics, Applied
H. Y. Erbil, G. McHale
Summary: In recent years, there has been extensive research on synthetic superhydrophobic surfaces, which possess unique anti-wetting properties. Apart from their stay-dry and self-cleaning properties, the evaporation process of water droplets has also attracted significant interest. Studies on surface contamination and droplet evaporation during the Covid-19 pandemic have gained attention. Superhydrophobic surfaces alter the contact between droplets and the substrate/environment, and affect the diffusion of vapor.
APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Glen McHale, Rodrigo Ledesma-Aguilar, Chiara Neto
Summary: In 1948, Cassie proposed an equation for the wetting of a smooth, heterogeneous surface. This equation uses weighted averages based on the fractional surface areas and cosines of contact angles to predict the contact angle of a droplet on a composite surface. The equation has proven fundamental in understanding the wetting of superhydrophobic and superoleophobic surfaces. However, little attention has been given to the complete wetting of one surface component.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Michele Pelizzari, Glen McHale, Steven Armstrong, Hongyu Zhao, Rodrigo Ledesma-Aguilar, Gary G. Wells, Halim Kusumaatmaja
Summary: This study presents a new method to create patterned liquid lubricant surfaces, demonstrates low-friction droplet self-propulsion on such surfaces, and sheds light on the interactions between liquid droplets and liquid surfaces.
Article
Microbiology
Kelly Moore, Anthony Li, Niraj Gupta, Tripti Thapa Gupta, Craig Delury, Sean S. Aiken, Phillip A. Laycock, Paul Stoodley
Summary: This in-vitro study found that high purity antibiotic-loaded calcium sulfate beads containing vancomycin and tobramycin in combination may be more effective in treating multispecies biofilm orthopedic infections than monotherapy alone.