Biomimetic Water Manipulation Driven by Interfacial Free Energies

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24686076
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Structural/Functional materials
• Research Institution: Nagoya Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Daisuke Ishii 名古屋工業大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (60435625)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 表面・界面物性 / 複合材料・物性 / 自己組織化 / 超撥水 / 液体操作 / 生物模倣

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Some small animals only use passive water transport mechanisms. However, little is known about passive water transport mechanisms because it is difficult to measure the wettability of microstructures in small areas and determine the chemistry of biological surfaces. So I attempted to make clear water manipulation systems of complicated biological microstructures by physical-chemical approaches, and I tried to develop novel biomimetic water manipulation devices driven by interfacial free energies.
I achieved that micro-droplets on the superhydrophobic surfaces were manipulated by surface microstructure patterning and thermo-responsibilities, liquid transport and separation technologies were produced by surface structures and surface chemistries on the hierarchic open channels, and water vapor permeability was controlled by inner higher-order structure of hydrophilic thin films.

Free Research Field

生物模倣工学