Breath Figure Method Research Articles

Inorganic Salt Solution-Based Aerosols for Fabricating Honeycomb-Patterned Porous Membranes.

Porous membranes with uniform pore sizes have shown potential applications. Although the breath figure method is renowned for its simplicity, it requires high humidity conditions, presenting challenges in energy consumption and safety, especially in arid climates. This study introduces an approach that uses inorganic salt-based aerosols to successfully fabricate honeycomb-patterned porous membranes at low humidity levels, where pure water vapor cannot produce such structures. Sodium chloride and ferric chloride solutions were used to successfully prepare membranes with pore sizes of ∼5.0 and 1.0 μm, respectively, at a relative humidity of 30%, which effectively separated microspheres of different sizes. The κ-Köhler theory and theories related to bubble bursting mechanisms and aerosols were used to preliminarily analyze the relation between inorganic salt aerosol generation and pore size, demonstrating that an increased NaCl concentration results in small pores. Additionally, potassium chloride and calcium chloride were found to have varying effects on pore size. These findings suggest that aerosols could enhance the applicability of the breath figure method and optimize membrane structures and functionality, thereby achieving broader applications in different fields.

A Honeycomb Film Template-Based Method for High-Throughput Preparation of Anti-Salmonella typhimurium 14,028 Phage Microgels

Developing efficient anti-microbials for thoroughly addressing Salmonella contamination is essential for the improvement of food safety. Phage-built materials have shown great potential for biocontrol in environments. Due to challenges in delivery and stability, their widespread use has remained unattainable. Here, we have developed a honeycomb film template-based method for the high-throughput preparation of phage microgels. The honeycomb film template can be simply fabricated in a humid chamber based on a well-established breath figure method. The bacteriophage microgels can be further manufactured by dropping a pre-gelation solution containing bacteriophages into a honeycomb film template. This method can produce over 210,000 phage microgels in every square centimeter template with each microgel containing 1.04 × 107 phages. They can kill 99.90% of the contaminated S. typhimurium 14,028 on chicken samples. This simple, heat-free, and solvent-free method can maintain the strong anti-bacterial efficiency of phages, which can expand the wide application of phage-built microgels for food decontamination.

Pore-selective immobilization of pH-sensitive polymer and glucose oxidase in the porous polyimide film for detection of glucose

Glucose selective oxidizing enzyme of glucose oxidase (GOD) was immobilized on the carboxyl group (–COOH) functionalized porous polyimide (PI) film (PI-GOD film). The –COOH functionalized film was fabricated by the modified breath figure method (BF) by casting the PI solution under humid conditions containing KOH. The amine group of GOD was covalently bonded to the PI-COOH film under catalytic conditions for the PI-GOD film. The PI-GOD film induced the color change of the bromothymol blue (BTB) indicator solution from green to yellow by adding glucose due to the oxidation of glucose by GOD to gluconic acid acting as an acidic source. Amine-terminated pH-sensitive polymethacrylic acid polymer (PMAA) was additionally immobilized to the PI-GOD film for the PI-GOD-PMAA film. The morphology of the pore surface of the PI-GOD-PMAA film was changed by the addition of glucose due to the coil-to-globule transition of the pH-sensitive polymer by the production of gluconic acid as a result of the reaction between glucose and GOD. The insulin adsorbed on the film was released by adding glucose due to the morphology change of the pH-sensitive polymer. The detection sensitivity of glucose was increased by the pore-selectively immobilized GOD acting as a micro-reactor.

3D Porous Graphene Architecture Integrated with Cu2O for Enhanced Electrochemical Sensing Performance.

Construction and functionalization of a 3D graphene architecture are crucial to harness and extend the unique features of graphene and thus essential for its numerous conventional and novel applications. Herein, a 3D honeycomb-patterned porous graphene architecture is constructed through a facile and low-cost self-assembly process and then integrated with Cu2O nanoparticles via a simple electrodeposition procedure. The 3D porous graphene structure is prepared by the breath figure method using a graphene oxide (GO)-based complex in which GO is modified by a surfactant as the casting material. Benefiting from the intercalation of the surfactant between the GO nanosheets and the fabrication of a 3D porous structure, the aggregation inhibition of GO nanosheets and increases in accessible surface area are realized at both nano- and microscales, resulting in good electrochemical performance. Moreover, the deposition of Cu2O nanoparticles can further improve the electrochemical sensing performance of the porous reduced graphene oxide (rGO) structure. Extremely low detection limit (30.72 nM) with a linear range of 0 μM to 30 μM, excellent anti-interference, repeatability, reproducibility, stability, and high accuracy for actual sample testing are shown when the 3D porous Cu2O/rGO film is applied as an electrochemical sensor for DA detection. This work provides not only a superior electrochemical biosensor but also a simple, yet effective and general strategy for the construction and functionalization of a 3D graphene structure.

Light-Assisted Fabrication of Hierarchical Azopolymer Structures Using the Breath Figure Method and AAO Templates.

Hierarchical polymer structures have garnered widespread application across various fields owing to their distinct surface properties and expansive surface areas. Conventional hierarchical polymer structures, however, often lack postfabrication scalability and spatial selectivity. In this study, we propose a novel strategy to prepare light-assisted hierarchical polymer structures using azopolymers (PAzo), the breath figure method, and anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) templates. Initially, the breath figure PAzo films are prepared by dripping a PAzo chloroform solution onto glass substrates in a high-humidity environment. The AAO templates are then placed on the breath figure PAzo film. Upon ultraviolet (UV) light exposure, the azobenzene groups in the azopolymers undergo trans-cis photoisomerization. This process causes the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the PAzo to become lower than room temperature, allowing the azopolymer to enter the nanopores of the AAO templates. The hierarchical azopolymer structures are then formed by using a sodium hydroxide solution to remove the templates. Furthermore, exploring the effects of PAzo concentration and UV light exposure duration on the film morphology reveals optimized conditions for hierarchical structure formation. Additionally, the water contact angles of these polymer structures are measured. The hierarchical PAzo structures exhibit higher hydrophobicity compared with the flat PAzo films and the PAzo breath figure films. Finally, patterned breath figure films can be prepared using designed photomasks, demonstrating the method's capability for spatial selectivity.

Preparation Method and Application of Porous Poly(lactic acid) Membranes: A Review.

Porous membrane technology has garnered significant attention in the fields of separation and biology due to its remarkable contributions to green chemistry and sustainable development. The porous membranes fabricated from polylactic acid (PLA) possess numerous advantages, including a low relative density, a high specific surface area, biodegradability, and excellent biocompatibility. As a result, they exhibit promising prospects for various applications, such as oil-water separation, tissue engineering, and drug release. This paper provides an overview of recent research advancements in the fabrication of PLA membranes using electrospinning, the breath-figure method, and the phase separation method. Firstly, the principles of each method are elucidated from the perspective of pore formation. The correlation between the relevant parameters and pore structure is discussed and summarized, subsequently followed by a comparative analysis of the advantages and limitations of each method. Subsequently, this article presents the diverse applications of porous PLA membranes in tissue engineering, oil-water separation, and other fields. The current challenges faced by these membranes, however, encompass inadequate mechanical strength, limited production efficiency, and the complexity of pore structure control. Suggestions for enhancement, as well as future prospects, are provided accordingly.

Dynamic fabrication of porous polymeric coating for efficient passive daytime radiative cooling using in-situ pore-formation strategy

Porous polymeric material has emerged as promising choice for making passive daytime radiative cooling (PDRC) emitter. However, it is still an unmet challenge to establish a flexible method to achieve dynamic pore-formation for the purpose of studying the relationships between the porous structure and the resultant cooling performance. The current study reports a novel strategy to construct asymmetric multi-layered porous structure in situ within the matrix of pre-formed polystyrene coating. The modified procedure of inverse emulsion - breath figure method is adopted, and solvent-nonsolvent exchanging process is also involved during the pore-formation process, leading to the formation of hierarchical porous structure with rather high porosity. Geometrical features of the generated pores are effectively regulated by simple adjustment of the experimental parameters of the water ratio of the emulsion and the humidity. The relationship between the pore structure and optical & cooling properties has been established based on experimental facts. By tuning of optimal conditions, the in-situ pore-formation can endow the polymeric coating with high solar reflectance (∼85 %) and infrared emittance (∼98.4 %), resulting in passive temperature drop of 12 °C and cooling power of 91 W/m2. This study provides experimental information to get some insight into the designing principle of porous polymeric PDRC materials, and formulates unique strategy of in-situ functionalization via structural transformation upon polymeric objects or devices.

3D Printed P(VdF‐HFP)/SBA‐15 composite‐based gel polymer electrolyte versus commercial celgard: A comparative investigation on thermal stability and electrochemical performance for lithium‐ion battery application

AbstractThe current work reports on tailoring of 3D printed gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) employing poly(vinylidene fluoride‐co‐hexafluoropropylene) P(VdF‐HFP) as the host matrix and mesoporous Santa Barbara Amorphous‐15 (SBA‐15) mesoporous sieve as ceramic filler. Further, this work envisages an investigation on its physicochemical properties, thermal shrinkage behavior, and electrochemical performance. An effort has been undertaken to formulate 3D printable P(VdF‐HFP)/SBA‐15 composite‐based GPE ink with suitable rheological properties. The breath figure method is followed to investigate the influence of 1‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidinone (NMP)/tetrahydrofuran (THF) mixture as a solvent on the porosity of 3D printed GPE, through which enhanced porosity is evident from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. The morphological analysis further confirms the hybrid porous structure facilitated by the addition of SBA‐15 into the P(VdF‐HFP) matrix. The 3D printed P(VdF‐HFP)/SBA‐15 (10%) composite‐based GPE shows promising ionic conductivity in the order of 0.2 × 10−4 S/cm at room temperature and demonstrates excellent dimensional thermal stability up to 175°C. The electrochemical measurement of 3D printed GPE is tested separately using 3D printed cathode half‐cell (3D printed LFP vs. Li+) and 3D printed anode half cell (3D printed LTO vs. Li+) with GPE as separator. Further, also tested with conventionally prepared electrode and the coin cell studies show discharge capacity of 3D printed P(VdF‐HFP)/SBA‐15 (10%) composite‐based GPE is comparable to commercial celgard separator. All these features speculate that the 3D printed fabricated in the current work may find potential application in lithium‐ion battery.

Nature‐Inspired Halide Perovskite Breath Figures: Unleashing Enhanced Light‐Matter Interaction

AbstractHalide perovskites offer a transformative potential for optoelectronics through tailoring the light‐matter interactions at the nanoscale. However, their susceptibility to environmental factors and limited compatibility with standard lithography techniques present significant challenges in precise nanopatterning. This work unveils a nature‐inspired breath figures (BFs) approach to pattern halide perovskites and enhancing their optoelectronic performance. The fabrication of BFs based on BiI3 allows for changes in nanopore size (ranging from 247 to 423 nm) and their distribution. Subsequently, these BiI3 BFs are transformed into hybrid halide MA3Bi2I9 BFs using a vapor‐assisted technique while retaining the nanoporous topology of the BiI3 structure. The resultant MA3Bi2I9 BFs show significantly enhanced light absorption compared to conventional thin films, attributed to the increased extinction and lower refractive index. The optoelectronic performance of the MA3Bi2I9 BFs is showcased by constructing a photodetector, which exhibits three orders of magnitude higher responsivity and detectivity, up to 1 AW−1 and 1.3 × 1012 Jones, respectively, outperforming the photodetectors based on solution‐processed A3B2I9 halide perovskite thin films. The BFs method provides flexibility in tuning nanoscale morphology, showcasing its potential in advancing lead‐free optoelectronics and paving the way for next‐generation optoelectronic devices.

Fabrication of a scalable slippery surface via novel sprayable breath figure technique for sustainable drag reduction and anti-biofouling in marine environments

The maritime industry has been seeking efficient solutions to combat hydrodynamic friction and biofouling, which increase operational costs and environmental issues. To address these concerns, we developed a novel sprayable breath figure (sBF) method to create a scalable and cost-effective lubricant-infused surface (LIS) for reducing frictional drag forces on marine vehicles. The proposed sBF method facilitated the rapid production of multilayered porous polymer films with micron-scale spherical cavities. It can be applied to large and curved surfaces, thus overcoming the limitations of traditional breath figure methods. Further surface treatment of oxygen plasma etching followed by polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) brush grafting was employed to optimize the interfacial slip and lubricant retention of the slippery surface coating. The PDMS brush-grafted slippery surfaces demonstrated significant drag reduction under turbulent flow conditions. This was confirmed by direct velocity field measurements, showing nonzero slip velocity unlike conventional no-slip surfaces. The same surfaces also exhibited remarkable anti-biofouling performance, severely resisting marine biofouling in real-sea field tests over 50 days. The proposed sBF method was successfully applied to large-area and curved submerged bodies, and achieved a noticeable drag reduction under high-speed turbulent flows. This study is a critical step toward the practical implementation of this technology in the marine industry.

Plant‐Inspired Dual‐Functional Sensor for Monitoring Pulse and Sweat Volume

AbstractWearable health monitoring sensors, when employed to monitor pulse and sweat volume in real‐time during human physical activity, serve as an effective preventative measure against abnormal health conditions, such as elevated heart rate or excessive dehydration. Herein, a dual‐functional sensor based on a sandwich structure composed of polyvinylidene fluoride hexafluoropropylene / conductive carbon black perforated film (named PCp film) and corncob sponge is designed to monitor pulse and sweat volume. The PCp film prepared by the breath figure method serves as a piezoresistive sensor with high sensitivity (0.06 kPa−1), a fast response time (0.9 ms), and high reusability for pulse monitoring. Furthermore, the PCp film has excellent water permeability (27.3 L m−2 h−1); thus, the sweat permeating through the PCp film can be absorbed by the corncob sponge. The sandwich‐structured capacitive sensor is also highly sensitive (6.021 pF nL−1) to the absorbed sweat and is highly reusable. In addition, the dual‐functional sensor is successfully integrated into a sports bracelet system to display real‐time pulse and sweat‐volume data of the wearer. This approach provides a dependable foundation for the advancement of multifunctional sensors in the field of sports monitoring.

Morphological, Optical and Voronoi Polygon Analysis of Breath Figures Prepared on Polymeric Surface

Background/ Objectives: The formation of breath figures over polymers like polystyrene has vast applications in material science for making numerous micro- and nanopatterned functional surfaces. However, the breath figures (BFs) method is a complex phenomenon as the actual formation of structures are many times unpredictable and the nature of structure depends on the type of polymer, solvent, degree of humidity and additives used. The work presented in this paper deals with the study of condensation on the surface of volatile polystyrene polymer solution and their uses for non-wetting using optical and morphological studies along with mathematical model Voronoi polygon analysis using polystyrene and solvent of benzene and chloroform. The growth dynamics of Breath-Figures (BFs) formed due to condensation is presented in brief. Method: Breath Figure (BF) patterns were prepared by two solvents: benzene and chloroform. Different representative values of relative Humidity viz. 60, 70, 80 and 90 % were employed for making BFs. Two different polymer concentrations of 5 and 10 w/v % was used in this study. Findings: The morphology has been statistically analyzed for different parameters like average diameter and their size distribution etc. In case of BFs formed on benzene surface, droplet has average diameter of about 12 µm at 90% humidity but in case of chloroform surface this diameter is about 25 µm at 90% humidity. Voronoi analysis demonstrates simplistic way to qualitatively check the six-fold order and the coordination numbers in BFs. Novelty: The work shows comparative study of BFs patterns using polystyrene on two different solvents with changing humidity. The study shows morphology of the breath patterns is mainly dependent on the polymer concentration, humidity and density of solvents which is a new observation. The study leads to the acquisition of new knowledge on BFs which provides insight important for various applications including biological fields. Keywords: Breath­figures, Voronoi polygon, Polystyrene, Contact angle, Condensation

Doping/breath figure method triggered reversible diethylchlorophosphate vapor sensing

Aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ) is the key reason why thin-film fluorescence sensing studies have lagged. A facile two-step strategy combining doping with breath figure method (BF) is capable to suppress the ACQ effect without sacrificing the sensing property of the molecule. In this work, two long-wavelength fluorescent probes, Me4BOPHY-1 and Me4BOPHY-2, were synthesized by introducing one or two diethylaminophenyl group in the α-position of Me4BOPHY. Upon addition diethylchlorophosphate (DCP) to the solution of the probes, the initial intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) process is restrained. Thus, the intense fluorescence from Me4BOPHY core was released together with a dramatical color change. As the typical ACQ probes, Me4BOPHY-1 and Me4BOPHY-2 can’t be used in vapor-detection directly due to their weak fluorescence in the solid-phase. By means of being doped with polystyrene solution and being spin-coated under the optimal relative humidity conditions, porous films for DCP vapor detection were prepared with a high detection performance of a 162-ppb low detection limit. Moreover, it is exciting that these films show two outstanding characters of anti-interference to HCl gas and reversibility, which have not been reported in previous studies. This work breaks the application boundary of ACQ materials and provides an inspiration for the development of thin-film fluorescence sensors.

A Convenient and Universal Strategy toward Solvent‐Tolerant Microporous Structure for High‐Performance Wearable Electronics and Smart Textiles

AbstractMicro/nanostructures can increase effective surface area and enhance the performance of wearable devices, such as the sensitivity of sensors and output of triboelectric nanogenerators. Empowering commercial fibers and fabrics with durable and robust micro/nanostructures has become a major research concern for sustainable wearables. Many technologies are developed to fabricate micron/nanostructures on fibers and textiles, such as breath figure method, electrospinning, and direct imprinting thermal drawing. However, most of these methods have their own limitations toward mass production and real‐life application, including poor solvent resistance, time assuming, requiring expensive equipment, and limited capacity for post‐adjustment of commercial textiles. Herein, a plasma‐enhanced breath figure (PEBF) technique to fabricate solvent‐tolerant microporous structure on existing fabrics with tailored pore size is developed. By combining the wearable nature of fabrics and the surface engineering power of PEBF, the fabricated solvent‐tolerant microporous fabric offers excellent flexibility, washability, breathability, and suitability for large‐scale production, as well as the advantages of cost effectiveness and fast production. Furthermore, wearable triboelectric nanogenerators are fabricated based on solvent‐resistant microporous structured fabrics, revealing the bright future of the PEBF technology in wearable devices and smart textiles.

Tunable honeycomb-hierarchical multiscale structures of 2D/3D porous PLA/CCN composite films fabricated by the breath figure method

Highly ordered porous structures of PLA composite films can be designed with the addition of calcium carbonate nanoparticles (CCN) in polymeric film formation using the breath figure (BF) technique at controlled humidity. Both 2D and 3D monodispersed honeycomb-like porous structures of the PLA composite films are achieved by the adding CCN at the concentration of up to 1.00 phr, whereas hierarchically multiscale porous structures of the PLA/CCN films are obtained when the CCN concentration in the composites increases to more than 1.00 phr. These structures can be fabricated due to three mechanisms: water absorption and condensation, nano-Pickering emulsion, and capillary flow by self-assembly of the nanoparticles. Moreover, the nano effects of CCN on polymeric film fabrication are maximized by increasing the relative humidity to 90%, resulting in the formation of porous multilayers up to 95–120 μm in thickness. The application of the prepared porous composite films of PLA/CCN in the food and medical industries was illustrated. A model colorimetric sensor is made from PLA/CCN composite films enriched with bromothymol blue. The color of the films quickly changes from yellow to blue within 10 min after coming into contact with histamine, a representative gas generated from spoiled food.

Raspberry-like particle-assisted breath figures method to simultaneously fabricate superhydrophobic surfaces with different adhesions

In this article we introduced a raspberry-like particle-assisted breath figures method to simultaneously fabricate superhydrophobic surfaces with different adhesions. Firstly, SiO2 particles were in situ generated on the surface of styrene copolymer microspheres to form raspberry-like composite particles, and then simply separated the products according to the distribution differences of particles with different structures in the reactor. Finally, the superhydrophobic surface was prepared by breath figures (BF) method. The hydrophobic surfaces prepared by the particles on the wall and bottom of the reactor showed distinct adhesion, the former showed a Cassie-Baxter state with a contact angle of 158° and a sliding angle of 3°, while the latter exhibited a Wenzel state with high adhesion to water droplets. By changing the amount of styrene copolymer microspheres added, the superhydrophobic surface adhesion could be transformed. Meanwhile, the solid-liquid contact mode and the height to width (H/W) of the pores have also been proved to be the key factors affecting the surface adhesion.

Thymol-loaded polylactic acid electrospun fibrous membranes with synergistic biocidal and anti-bacterial adhesion properties via morphology control

Antibiotic resistance is a growing challenge in modern medicine, highlighting the urgent need for alternative antimicrobial strategies. The combination of synergistic sterilization and inhibition of bacterial adhesion presents a promising approach for achieving a long-lasting antibacterial effect. Herein, we report the fabrication of thymol-loaded polylactic acid (Thy-PLA) porous fibrous membranes that exhibit both bacteria-killing and bacteria-repellent functions, accomplished through control of microstructure and morphology during the electrospinning process. Notably, we employed the breath figure method, a humidity-induced morphology control technique, which significantly increased the surface roughness of the Thy-PLA fibers and resulted in a nano-porous structure for bacterial repulsion. Additionally, this method facilitated the enhanced release of thymol, thereby enabling efficient sterilization. By simply modifying the morphology, we achieved bacterial reduction rates of up to 99.92 % and 99.87 % for Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, respectively, and robust mechanical properties (ultimate tensile stress of 20 MPa and elongation at break of 822.7 %). Furthermore, the fibrous membranes exhibited an impressive oil/water absorption capacity (∼36.7 g/g in 90 s) thanks to the interior and surface porosity. The porous fibrous membranes with synergistic antimicrobial efficiency and tunable mechanical properties demonstrate great potential for diverse applications, particularly in wound dressing and oil/water filtration.

Construction of transfer-free regular through-pore polyimide composite microfiltration membranes via amphiphilic dendron-assisted breath-figure method for water treatment

Regular through-pore membranes exhibit extremely high productivity and size-selective capabilities. Previous studies have demonstrated that the use of a polymer alone on a solid substrate surface hinders the formation of regular through-pore membranes. In this study, amphiphilic dendrons were used as surfactants to concentrate the functional groups and strengthen the weak bonding forces between the molecules, which is conducive to the formation of regular through-pores in the membrane. The amphiphilic dendrons were mixed with commercial-grade polyimide (PI) using chloroform as the solvent, and the solution was evenly coated on the surface of the filter paper. Using the breath-figure method, an ultrathin regular through-pore PI layer was formed directly on the surface of the filter paper. The SEM image shows that regular through-pores were formed only on the surface of the substrate. The preparation process used in this study eliminates the need to transfer ultrathin and weak membranes to the substrate surface, which simplifies the membrane-making process. Pure water and yeast solution filtration tests were conducted on the composite membrane prepared with a 5 mg/ml dendron solution. A pure water permeance of 118,826 L m-2h−1 bar−1 (LMH/bar) was obtained, the yeast solution permeance and rejection are 17,410 LMH/bar and 92.85 %, respectively. The yellow, turbid, muddy water was successfully purified to clean water. The original performance of the fouled membrane was restored after only 30 s of water flushing. This study proposes a new approach to fabricate high-efficiency regular through-pore PI composite microfiltration membranes.

Novel Capturer-Catalyst Microreactor System with a Polypyrrole/Metal Nanoparticle Composite Incorporated in the Porous Honeycomb-Patterned Film.

A composite of polypyrrole/metal nanoparticles (PPy/MNPs) was selectively incorporated into the pores of a honeycomb-patterned porous polycaprolactone polymer film to fabricate a novel capturer-catalyst microreactor system. This fabrication involved a modified breath figure method, where the polymer solution containing metal ions as an oxidizing agent was cast under humid conditions along with the pyrrole monomer through an interfacial reaction in a one-step in situ process. The higher hydrophilicity of the metal ions compared to the polymer solution led to their self-assembly around the pore surface, resulting in the selective incorporation of the PPy/MNP composite into the porous film. Copper (Cu), silver (Ag), and gold (Au) were used for the PPy/MNP fabrication. Various methods characterized the fabricated film. Strong catalytic degradations of methylene blue and methyl orange were obtained with PCL-PPy/MNPs. Recycling experiments showed no loss of activity even after five cycles of recycling. Comparative analysis of PCL-PPy, PCL-MNP, and PCL-PPy/MNP results indicated the synergistic action of PPy and MNPs in dye degradation. High-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectroscopy analyses confirmed dye degradation after treatment with a fabricated microreactor. PPy might have acted as a capturer of the dye molecule and MNPs as a catalyst, thereby enhancing the efficiency of dye degradation. Additionally, the PCL-PPy/Cu composite exhibited strong antimicrobial properties against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli) with no cytotoxicity as measured by the MTT assay. Therefore, the fabricated microreactor film has promising applications in various fields.

A stable graphene nanofluid for creating slippery, corrosion- and biofouling-resistant surfaces

Marine engineering materials face the challenges of corrosion and biofouling. In this study, a graphene nanofluid has been prepared by dispersing modified graphene in a common lubricant. Porous surfaces on Q235 carbon steel have been generated by applying the highly efficient texturing method—breath figure method and then infused with the graphene nanofluid. The coating thus obtained showed high stability, reduced oil-phase leaching, and a self-healing function. Moreover, the slippery coating exhibited a more than five orders of magnitude superior anti-corrosion performance and improved anti-biofouling properties. The developed graphene nanofluid coating has great potential for applications involving the protection of surfaces exposed to the marine environment.