Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Stephan Milles, Vittorio Vercillo, Sabri Alamri, Alfredo I. Aguilar-Morales, Tim Kunze, Elmar Bonaccurso, Andres Fabian Lasagni
Summary: Research focused on reducing ice adhesion on aircraft surfaces has shown that pulsed laser surface treatments are an effective technology. Testing the ice adhesion strength of micro-textured aluminum surfaces led to the discovery of optimum surface textures that can reduce adhesion strength by around 90%.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Huynh H. Nguyen, A. Kiet Tieu, Shanhong Wan, Hongtao Zhu, Sang T. Pham, Benjamin Johnston
Summary: Picosecond laser texturing was applied to enamel to produce superhydrophobic coatings by covalently absorbing fluorosilane agents. The study revealed multiscaled surface structures with excellent water-repelling properties and proposed a surface area index for the Cassie-Baxter hydrophobic state. The significant role of surface metrology in producing hierarchical morphologies for stable superhydrophobicity was demonstrated in the study.
APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Minwoo Lee, Jonghwan Shin, Sunkook Kim, Srinivas Gandla
Summary: The use of animal-sourced whey protein isolate (WPI) film, combined with laser-ablated textured polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), has led to the development of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) for pressure-sensor applications. The addition of formaldehyde in WPI increases the output voltage of the TENG. This study offers insights into the potential use of biocompatible and eco-friendly biopolymers in electronic devices and sensors.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Shreyas Pathreeker, Paul Chando, Fu-Hao Chen, Saeid Biria, Hansheng Li, Eric B. Finkelstein, Ian D. Hosein
Summary: This study developed superhydrophobic surface-patterned polymer-TiO2 composite materials using a simple photopolymerization-based approach, achieving dual-scale roughness, high water contact angles, and low roll-off angles. The effect of nanoparticle concentration on material properties was investigated, and the practical significance of large-area fabrication was demonstrated.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lis Geraldine Zschach, Robert Baumann, Flavio Soldera, Claudia Marcela Mendez, Sabine Apelt, Ute Bergmann, Andres Fabian Lasagni
Summary: This work investigates the corrosion behavior of laser-treated aluminum. Two different laser techniques, DLIP and DLW, are used to fabricate the samples. Confocal microscopy and scanning electron microscopy are used to analyze the surface topography and investigate the formation of oxide layers. Wettability measurements and electrochemical tests demonstrate contrasting behaviors and a decreased corrosion rate after laser treatment.
ADVANCED MATERIALS INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Guillaume Espy, Jannick Duchet-Rumeau, Sebastien Livi, Olivier Lhost, Jean-Francois Gerard
Summary: This paper describes a simple wetting model based on the balance between liquid pressure and surface tension to understand the parameters required for achieving slippery superhydrophobicity. The importance of both nano and micro-scale texturing for superhydrophobicity is discussed, and the stability limits of a Cassie-Baxter interface are studied. The proposed model provides insights into the design of stable superhydrophobic surfaces.
SURFACES AND INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jiangyou Long, Yan Li, Ziqing Ouyang, Mingjie Xi, Junwei Wu, Jinghao Lin, Xiaozhu Xie
Summary: Micro/nano-textured metal or metal oxide surfaces undergo a wettability transition from superhydrophilic to hydrophobic when exposed to ambient air. This transition affects surface evaluation and performance. A solvent cleaning method is proposed to restore the superhydrophilicity while maintaining the surface morphology and composition. Dense surface nanostructures delay the wettability transition by suppressing organic molecule diffusion.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Optics
Karin Schwibbert, Anja M. Richter, Joerg Krueger, Joern Bonse
Summary: Bacterial biofilms pose challenges in medical and industrial settings, with increasing resistance against biocides. Laser-texturing surfaces offers a promising bacteria-repellent strategy without the use of chemicals or antibiotics. This article reviews laser-surface subtractive texturing approaches and discusses challenges and future directions.
LASER & PHOTONICS REVIEWS
(2023)
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
Chemistry, Physical
Md Shamim Mahmud, Akinjuyigbe Alo, Bahador Farshchian, Gwan-Hyoung Lee, Namwon Kim
Summary: Developing a surface modification technique for thermoplastic polymers is of practical importance. In this research, a controllable laser ablation technique was employed to improve the surface wetting property of PMMA. The ablated surface induced controllable capillary driven flows, and the dynamics of these flows were influenced by various factors.
SURFACES AND INTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Instruments & Instrumentation
P. S. Kaushik, Puneet Gupta, J. Diksha, Ashwani S. Tripathi, Suhas S. Joshi, I. A. Palani
Summary: Vibration sensing can predict and identify mechanical system breakdowns in industry. Currently, piezoelectric material-based sensors are used but their reliance on external power sources and intricate data-gathering systems limits their use. Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) based on contact electrification have been developed as vibration sensors, but their low current output restricts their practical applications.
SMART MATERIALS AND STRUCTURES
(2023)
Article
Biophysics
Gianmarco Lazzini, Luca Romoli, Francesco Fuso
Summary: This study investigates the role of fluid in the initial phase of bacterial adhesion on textured surfaces. It finds that surface protrusions can attract motile bacterial species and increase the range over which they are attracted in the presence of fluid flow.
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES B-BIOINTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Xinyi Li, Yue Jiang, Zhonghao Jiang, Yuncang Li, Cuie Wen, Dongmei Zhang, Jianshe Lian, Zhihui Zhang
Summary: The superhydrophobic brass surface fabricated by laser ablation and heating treatment shows better corrosion resistance than polished brass surface due to the synergistic effect of micro/nano hierarchical structure and the adsorption of organic compounds from ambient air.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Wuji Huang, Ramin Ordikhani-Seyedlar, Avik Samanta, Scott Shaw, Hongtao Ding
Summary: Laser texturing and chemical modification can achieve superhydrophobicity on metal surfaces, with the ability to control surface wetting properties by adjusting the concentration and treatment time of the chemical solution.
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES A-PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING ASPECTS
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Xiaowei Shen, Pei-Chieh Hsiao, Zhimeng Wang, Mengdi Liu, Benjamin Phua, Ning Song, Alex Stokes, Alison Lennon
Summary: This study investigated laser-induced damage from 266 and 532 nm laser ablation of SiNx films on alkaline textured Si surfaces with nanosecond and picosecond pulse durations. The results show that the different wavelengths and pulse durations of lasers have varying effects on the ablation of silicon and silicon nitride films, which is important for applications requiring uniform ablation of dielectrics.
PROGRESS IN PHOTOVOLTAICS
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Anitha Senthamizhan, Brabu Balusamy, Doriana Debellis, Jose Alejandro Heredia-Guerrero, Giorgio Mancini, Riccardo Carzino, Luca Ceseracciu, Athanassia Athanassiou, Despina Fragouli
Summary: Conversion of waste biomass into functional materials contributes to circular economy and reduces feedstock requirements. This study presents a template-free method to directly convert waste into 3D porous carbon traps, which exhibit efficient adsorption and excellent selectivity.
CLEAN-SOIL AIR WATER
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Danila Merino, Athanassia Athanassiou
Summary: Recently, mild acid hydrolysis has been proposed as a novel method to transform biomass into bioplastics. However, the alkaline hydrolysis of plant residues has not been studied for this purpose. In this study, a comprehensive comparative analysis was conducted on the physicochemical, thermal, mechanical, and morphological properties of bioplastics produced by acid and alkaline hydrolysis from two different plant residues. The results showed that the alkaline hydrolysis produced bioplastics with superior mechanical and barrier properties compared to the acid hydrolyzed biomass.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Martina Lenzuni, Silvio Bonfadini, Luigino Criante, Filippo Zorzi, Maria Summa, Rosalia Bertorelli, Giulia Suarato, Athanassia Athanassiou
Summary: Biodegradable stent coatings have demonstrated potential in delivering drugs and their release profiles play a crucial role in the performance of drug-eluting stents. This study utilized microfluidic systems to simulate the microenvironment of stented vessels and comprehensively investigated the release and degradation kinetics of rutin-loaded zein coatings under flow conditions. The results revealed the influence of channel shape and blood flow viscosity on the release and matrix degradation of zein, and confirmed the hemocompatibility of the coating.
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Emilie Forestier, Maedeh Najafi, Simeone Dussoni, Marco Maggiali, Athanassia Athanassiou, Ilker S. Bayer
Summary: A polylactic acid-graphene nanoplatelets based ink dispersion was developed to prepare conductive coatings for porous and non-porous elastomeric surfaces. The coatings showed good conductivity and stability during stretch-release cycles.
PROGRESS IN ORGANIC COATINGS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Pietro Cataldi, Pietro Steiner, Mufeng Liu, Gergo Pinter, Athanassia Athanassiou, Coskun Kocabas, Ian A. Kinloch, Mark A. Bissett
Summary: A green textile-based conductor with controllable electrical resistance change with deformation and transiency has been developed using graphene or carbon nanofiber conductive inks, biodegradable polyvinyl alcohol binder, and environmentally friendly solvents. The coating can function as a deformable compliant electrode or a tunable piezoresistor, and withstands bending cycles and washing cycles without losing its electrical conductivity. By altering the material composition and deformation direction, this versatile conductor can serve divergent needs.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Danila Merino, Paolo Bellassi, Uttam C. Paul, Lorenzo Morelli, Athanassia Athanassiou
Summary: Fully bio-based and biodegradable biocomposites were developed for packaging dry foods, using plasticized chitosan blended with hydrolyzed orange peel waste. The films exhibited improved mechanical, barrier, and thermal properties, as well as water resistance. However, the antimicrobial activity of the individual components was lost due to electrostatic interactions. The films also showed high transparency, antioxidant capacity, and fast biodegradability in soil.
FOOD HYDROCOLLOIDS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Muhammad S. Zafar, Francesca Gatto, Giorgio Mancini, Simone Lauciello, Pier P. Pompa, Athanassia Athanassiou, Despina Fragouli
Summary: An effective and sustainable approach to deal with the scarcity of freshwater is interfacial solar-driven evaporation. A multifunctional silver-coated vegetable waste biocomposite cryogel has been developed, which shows high porosity, enhanced wettability and stability, high light absorption, low thermal conductivity, and antifouling properties. It has achieved a solar evaporation rate of 1.17 kg m(-2) h(-1) with a solar-to-vapor conversion efficiency of 81.11% and can effectively desalinate artificial seawater and decontaminate synthetic wastewater with an efficiency of >99%.
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Ilker S. Bayer
Summary: Polysaccharides are complex molecules with exceptional properties and can be chemically modified. They have increased application in drug encapsulation and release in nanoscale synthesis due to their biocompatibility and biodegradability. This review focuses on studying sustained drug release from nanoscale polysaccharides, particularly drug release kinetics and mathematical modeling. It highlights the importance of modeling in predicting the behavior of specific polysaccharide matrices and reducing experimental trial and error.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Danila Merino, Andrea Yamila Mansilla, Mariia Florencia Salcedo, Athanassia Athanassiou
Summary: In this study, agar-based hydrogels incorporating different concentrations of orange peel particles and 1.5 wt% limonene were developed as active soil conditioners for agriculture. The results showed that acid hydrolysis or ultrasonication pretreatments of orange peel were counterproductive, and the simplest method of pretreatment resulted in the most efficient hydrogels in terms of swelling. The incorporation of limonene increased the swelling capacity of the hydrogels in tap water, while the incorporation of orange peel particles did not significantly influence their swelling capacity.
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Fiorenza Rancan, Jana Jurisch, Sabrina Hadam, Annika Vogt, Ulrike Blume-Peytavi, Ilker S. Bayer, Marco Contardi, Christoph Schaudinn
Summary: Bacterial infections pose a constant challenge in wound management, especially with the increasing prevalence of chronic wounds due to an aging population. This study investigated the antimicrobial activity of polyvinylpyrrolidone foils loaded with ciprofloxacin in ex vivo human wounds infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The treatment effectively countered the infections and their associated effects.
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Amirsoheil Honarbari, Pietro Cataldi, Arkadiusz Zych, Danila Merino, Niloofar Paknezhad, Luca Ceseracciu, Giovanni Perotto, Marco Crepaldi, Athanassia Athanassiou
Summary: This work presents the development and characterization of a compostable PCB substrate based on poly(lactic acid) and cotton fabric, which serves as an alternative to the conventional FR4. The substrate can be additively printed on and thermoformed to curved surfaces while maintaining silver conductivity. It has a comparable dielectric constant and is suitable for microdrilling, contributing to the reduction of electronic waste in landfills.
ACS APPLIED ELECTRONIC MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Fabrizio Fiorentini, Giulia Suarato, Maria Summa, Dalila Miele, Giuseppina Sandri, Rosalia Bertorelli, Athanassia Athanassiou
Summary: Natural polymers from organic wastes are being considered as potential second raw materials for the design of biomedical devices with specific bioactive functions and environmentally friendly degradation. A plant-based microfibrous scaffold loaded with vitamin C (VitC) was created for wound healing purposes. The scaffold demonstrated bioactivity and antioxidant properties, stimulating collagen production and reducing inflammatory cytokines expression in an in vivo test on a skin UVB-burn mouse model.
ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Jose A. Heredia-Guerrero, Jose J. Benitez, Jose M. Porras-Vazquez, Giacomo Tedeschi, Yandira Morales, Dolores Fernandez-Ortuno, Athanassia Athanassiou, Susana Guzman-Puyol
Summary: In this study, a mixture of trifluoroacetic acid and trifluoroacetic anhydride was used to dissolve chitin from shrimp shells, and free-standing films were prepared by blending the chitin solution with glycerol. The films exhibited amorphous molecular structure and improved mechanical response, transparency, and greaseproof behavior. They also showed typical values of other polysaccharides in terms of hydrodynamic and barrier properties. The films complied with European regulations regarding overall migration and demonstrated high antifungal activity and biodegradability.
FOOD HYDROCOLLOIDS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Valentina Tolardo, Alessio Romaldini, Francesco Fumagalli, Andrea Armirotti, Marina Veronesi, Davide Magri, Stefania Sabella, Athanassia Athanassiou, Despina Fragouli
Summary: In this study, polycarbonate (PC) nanoplastics (NPs) were formed by laser ablation of solid PC films in water, with the size of the particles depending on the laser energy fluence. The NPs were found to be composed of PC with highly oxidized surface, similar to PC fragments from natural photo-degradation. Additionally, the study revealed cytotoxic effects of the NPs on human hepatocytes, as well as reduction in albumin production, which were attributed to both the NPs and the photo-degradation by-products.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-NANO
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Despoina Kossyvaki, Matteo Bustreo, Marco Contardi, Athanassia Athanassiou, Despina Fragouli
Summary: This study presents the ability of highly porous colorimetric indicators to sense volatile and biogenic amine vapors in real time. The results show that the porous fiber mats loaded with curcumin can detect amine vapors at low concentrations, showing distinct color changes that are reversible. Additionally, the curcumin-loaded fibers demonstrate strong antioxidant activity.