Low Surface Energy Research Articles

Facile and fast construction of biomimetic, waterborne, and superhydrophobic coatings via spraying strategy

Typically, the preparation of superhydrophobic coatings may release a large amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which will be potentially harmful to the environment. In this condition, waterborne coatings have gradually become the main method to replace the traditional organic solvent-based coatings in recent years. Inspired by natural superhydrophobic phenomena, biomimetic, waterborne, and superhydrophobic coatings with multi-functional integration have been prepared via a one-step pneumatic spraying technique in this paper. The coatings were mainly composed of solvent (water), low surface energy substances (polytetrafluoroethylene emulsion (PTFE)), binding agents (waterborne silicone resin (WSR)), rough structure maker (polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) and graphene powder (GP)), and filler dispersion agent (dodecyl phenyl polyoxyethylene (OP-10)). Owing to the formation of hierarchical micro/nano-scaled structure covered with low surface energy, the water contact angle (WCA) and water sliding angle (WSA) values of as-prepared coatings can reach 155.5° ± 1.1° and 9.2° ± 0.3°, respectively. This is feasible for endowing the coatings with rich surface functionalities such as self-cleaning properties, anti-icing ability, anti-corrosion properties, and oil-water separation. Furthermore, the adequate durability and stability of as-prepared coatings have been confirmed by a series of mechanical and chemical damage tests. The super-hydrophobicity can be retained even after 12 m sandpaper abrasion, 24 h continuous UV irradiation and acid/alkali immersion tests. Thus, this article has provided an effective and simplified strategy for preparing multifunction-integrated and waterborne superhydrophobic coatings, which will extend its potential application in many daily life and industrial fields.

Acoustic Shock Wave-Induced Rutile to Anatase Phase Transition of TiO2 Nanoparticles and Exploration of Their Unconventional Thermodynamic Structural Transition Path of Crystallization Behaviors.

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is one of the most well-known and long-standing polymorphic materials in the transition metal oxide group of materials. The transition from rutile to anatase is one of the long-standing fundamental questions among materials science researchers because seeking the nucleation site at the beginning of the phase transition is highly challenging. Until now, there have been no studies on the unconventional structural phase transition of TiO2 nanoparticles by acoustic shock waves. In the present study, this work provides the first evidence on the solid-state nanostructure of the rutile-to-anatase phase transition of TiO2 by acoustic shock waves whereby these phase transition results are evaluated by Raman spectroscopy, thermal calorimetry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and microscopic techniques. We propose a novel mechanism for the occurrence of the rutile-to-anatase phase transition based on thermophysical properties and shock wave-induced melting concepts. Under shocked conditions, the R-A phase transition occurs because of the anatase phase's lower interfacial energy (γL/A) and surface energy compared to rutile. We strongly believe that the present work can provide in-depth insight into understanding the crystallization concepts of the TiO2 NPs under extreme conditions, especially with regard to the rutile-to-anatase phase transition.

Preparation and properties of sustainable superhydrophobic cotton fabrics modified with lignin nanoparticles, tannic acid and methyltrimethoxysilane

Functional superhydrophobic cotton fabrics find extensive applications in both textile and non-textile domains. Nonetheless, fabric treatment typically relies on fluorine-containing compounds, inorganic nanoparticles and potentially hazardous organic solvents, posing environmental risks during fabrication and disposal. To address this issue, endeavours are underway to develop environmentally sustainable and cost-effective methods and materials for imparting superhydrophobic properties to cotton fabric surfaces. Here, we prepared lignin nanoparticles (LNP) utilising deep eutectic solvents and facilitated their surface adhesion to cotton fabrics through the self-polymerisation of tannic acid (TA) under alkaline conditions for the construction of micro-/nanostructures on the fabric surface. Subsequently, methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) was employed to confer superhydrophobic properties to the fabrics using a combination of thermal chemical vapour deposition techniques, resulting in a contact angle of approximately 164.3° and a sliding angle of 8.52°. Owing to the combined effect of TA and LNP, the modified fabrics exhibited excellent ultraviolet (UV) shielding ability (UV transmittance < 1 %, UV protection factor = 50 + ) and photothermal conversion (54.2 °C in 150 s). In short, micro-/nanostructures with surface hydrophilicity were constructed on the surface of cotton fabrics using two hydrophilic biomaterials, i.e. TA, which is similar to polydopamine but lighter in colour and less expensive, and LNP as sustainable colloidal particles. Subsequently, their surface roughness was further enhanced, and superhydrophobic properties were imparted through modification with the low surface energy substance MTMS. This method not only promotes the high-value utilisation of lignin but also serves as a reference for constructing superhydrophobic structures using biomass hydrophilic materials on cellulose substrates. The prepared superhydrophobic fabric suggests potential applications in water and stain repellence, self-cleaning, outdoor UV protection and the management of marine oil spill pollution.

Recent advances in biomimetic superhydrophobic surfaces: focusing on abrasion resistance, self-healing and anti-icing.

Superhydrophobic materials have been widely used in the fields of materials engineering and the coating industry due to their excellent abrasion resistance, corrosion resistance, anti-icing and antibacterial properties and have also attracted the attention of many researchers. However, in the process of application, their superhydrophobic surface is susceptible to external factors such as physical or chemical effects, resulting in the loss of low surface energy materials or the destruction of micro- and nano-rough structures, thus losing their superhydrophobic properties. This review describes the research progress in three aspects of superhydrophobic surfaces: abrasion resistance, self-healing, and anti-icing. Firstly, the definition and application of superhydrophobic surfaces, as well as the basic principle and mechanism of superhydrophobic surfaces are introduced. Then, the research status and improvement methods of superhydrophobic surfaces are presented in detail from three aspects, such as abrasion resistance, self-healing, and anti-icing. Finally, the research process of superhydrophobic surfaces is evaluated and prospected in order to provide a new perspective for the preparation of superhydrophobic surfaces with a wide range of applications and better performance.

Coacervate Dense Phase Displaces Surface-Established Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms.

For millions of years, barnacles and mussels have successfully adhered to wet rocks near tide-swept seashores. While the chemistry and mechanics of their underwater adhesives are being thoroughly investigated, an overlooked aspect of marine organismal adhesion is their ability to remove underlying biofilms from rocks and prepare clean surfaces before the deposition of adhesive anchors. Herein, we demonstrate that nonionic, coacervating synthetic polymers that mimic the physicochemical features of marine underwater adhesives remove ∼99% of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) biofilm biomass from underwater surfaces. The efficiency of biofilm removal appears to align with the compositional differences between various bacterial biofilms. In addition, the surface energy influences the ability of the polymer to displace the biofilm, with biofilm removal efficiency decreasing for surfaces with lower surface energies. These synthetic polymers weaken the biofilm-surface interactions and exert shear stress to fracture the biofilms grown on surfaces with diverse surface energies. Since bacterial biofilms are 1000-fold more tolerant to common antimicrobial agents and pose immense health and economic risks, we anticipate that our unconventional approach inspired by marine underwater adhesion will open a new paradigm in creating antibiofilm agents that target the interfacial and viscoelastic properties of established bacterial biofilms.

A self-adaption robust superhydrophobic cement mortar for resistance of cold environment

Superhydrophobic coatings have wide range of engineering applications due to its excellent wettability. However, the durability of superhydrophobic coatings is still challenging under complex environments, especially in cold regions. In this study, we prepared a new self-adaption superhydrophobic cement mortar (SSCM) by wettability modified aggregates with polydimethylsiloxane adhesive and silica nanoparticles decorated by 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane. Subsequently, a series of multi-scale characteristics of the SSCM sample were systematically investigated, including the micro morphology, the chemical compositions, the self-adaption robustness, the anti−/de-icing properties, and the freeze-thaw (F-T) resistance. The results indicate that surface and inside of the SSCM samples exhibit a self-adaption superhydrophobicity with the 150.0° contact angle due to the low surface energy micro/nano structure of wettability modified aggregates. Meanwhile, the SSCM sample shows excellent anti−/de-icing abilities due to the stable rough micro/nano structure under negative-temperature ambient, which can delay the droplet freezing time by 4.3 times than that of the contrast sample. Additionally, the newly exposed section of SSCM sample can still have the self-adaption superhydrophobicity and endow significant F-T resistance even if the surface of SSCM was damaged. Meanwhile, the SSCM sample can improve the F-T resistance by 45 % compared to the contrast sample. This work provides a new strategy to solve the durability limitation of superhydrophobic coating in engineering practice.

Surface activity, aggregation behaviour and wettability of mixtures of perfluorobranched short-chain gemini quaternary ammonium surfactant and hydrocarbon anionic surfactants in dilute solution

The hydrophobic and oleophobic properties of perfluorobranched short chains are similar to those long chain fluorocarbons (fluorocarbon chain length ≥ 7), and their environmentally friendly properties make them good alternatives to traditional perfluorooctyl derivatives. For this purpose, a novel perfluorinated branched short chain quaternary ammonium gemini surfactant (PBFS) with high surface activity was synthesized, and the surface properties, aggregation behavior, wetting performance and adsorption performance of the complex system of PBFS and sodium octyl sulfate (SOS) were systematically studied. PBFS exhibited superior surface activity in aqueous solution with the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of 0.1667 mmol/L and the corresponding surface tension (γCMC) of 20.17 mN/m. Moreover, despite the fact that the mixing of PBFS and SOS was not ideal, the two still had the good synergistic effect: the CMC of the compounding solution was reduced to 0.0072 mmol/L and γCMC was 16.01 mN/m when the compounding ratio (CF: CH) was 1:8. And the composite solution could completely wet low surface energy polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) plates at 1 mmol/L, and could also wet PTFE plates at extremely low concentrations (0.0625 mmol/L), showing good wetting performance.

Novel fluorine-functionalized Ti3C2Tx/TiO2 hybrid coatings with enhanced weatherability, antifouling, and interfacial anticorrosion performances

As a valuable symbol of human cultural heritage, bronze inevitably endures varying degrees of corrosion due to environmental change. Thus, developing an efficient protective coating for bronze is crucial to ensure bronze relics receive more protection. Herein, a multifunctional organic-inorganic hybrid composite coating of 1 H,1 H,2 H,2 H-Perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane (PFDTES), Ti3C2Tx nanosheets and TiO2 nanoparticles (PFDTES@Ti3C2Tx/TiO2) are successfully prepared and coated the bronze, which exhibits excellent anti-corrosion, weathering stability and superhydrophobicity. The superhydrophobicity of coating is derived from introducing a low surface energy C-F bond. Furthermore, the corrosion protection ability can be improved by the barrier effect of Ti3C2Tx nanosheets, and TiO2 nanoparticles can enhance the weathering stability of coatings by providing exceptional abrasion resistance and ultraviolet (UV) resistance capabilities. Morphological examination, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, an accelerated aging test, and electrochemical measurements, among other methods, were used to research the protective effect and anticorrosion performance of organic-inorganic hybrid coatings. It can be found that the composite coatings have a large water contact angle (153°) and form a superhydrophobic surface. Furthermore, electrochemical results show that the superhydrophobic PFDTES@Ti3C2Tx/TiO2 coating has a higher low-frequency impedance modulus and lower current density than the uncoated substrate, indicating enhanced corrosion resistance. Based on solid and liquid pollutant tests, the PFDTES@Ti3C2Tx/TiO2 coatings also showed good self-cleaning and antifouling properties. And coating maintained good transparency without changing the bronze color and appearance. In conclusion, the superhydrophobic PFDTES@Ti3C2Tx/TiO2 composite coating has potential applications in the field of bronze protection.

Development and performance evaluation of green superhydrophobic coating for fouling and corrosion protection

In this paper, a simple and environmentally friendly superhydrophobic stearic acid-modified zinc-nickel-cobalt composite coating (SA@ZNC) is presented. The zinc-nickel-cobalt (ZNC) coating with petal-like micro/nano-rough structure was constructed on the metal surface by combining electrodeposition and chemical substitution techniques. Subsequently, the coating was modified with low surface energy by adding stearic acid, and the SA@ZNC coating with excellent superhydrophobicity (water contact angle of 161.08 ± 0.31° and rolling angle of 3.50 ± 0.54°) was prepared. The coating is self-cleaning against a wide range of simulated contaminants and can remain superhydrophobic in air for over a year. Changes in pH do not significantly affect the superhydrophobicity and at low temperatures, the freezing time of water droplets on the coating was extended by 2.1 times compared to a blank steel sheet. Furthermore, the SA@ZNC coating demonstrated remarkable robustness, withstanding 30 minutes of water impact, a wear mass of 0.2 % after rubbing with weights over 2400 mm and retaining its superhydrophobicity after 80 tape stripping cycles. The results of the corrosion protection tests demonstrated that the SA@ZNC coating provided excellent corrosion protection for N80 steel, exhibiting a current density two orders of magnitude lower than that of the blank sample. Furthermore, the coating exhibited a corrosion inhibition rate of 95.75 ± 0.33 % and excellent charge transfer resistance. The multiple protection mechanisms and homogeneous micro/nanostructure of the coatings resulted in significantly better corrosion resistance than most of the reported zinc-nickel based coatings. The use of low-energy consumption methods and environmentally friendly modifiers positions this coating for large-scale production and potential applications in sectors like food and medicine, with promising implications for corrosion protection in various industries.

Polypropylene Blends with Durable Hydrophobicity and Enhanced Mechanical Properties Based on POSS and Alkane Modified Polypentafluorophenyl Methacrylate.

Durable functionalization on polypropylene (PP) surfaces is always a key problem to besolved. Coatings with low surface energy peel off easily especially under extreme conditions, owing to their weak adhesion. In this paper, side groups of both polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) and alkane are grafted to polypentafluorophenyl methacrylate (PFP), and then PP blends with these side-group modified PFP are obtained through a melt-blending process. It is found that POSS can result in surface segregation and provide hydrophobicity in blends. Microfibers are formed because of the orientation effect during the tensile testing, which furtherly promotes mechanical strength. Significantly, alkaneside-groups can be entangled with PP segments, which brings about cross linking. Therefore, with crosslinking and synchronous orientation of POSS, the elongation at the break of blends is greatly increased up to 974%. The final blend demonstrates quite durable hydrophobicity under many extreme conditions, such as repeated tape peeling, ultrasonic washing, strong friction, and soaking in strong acid (pH = 1), strong alkali (pH = 14) and alcohol. The heat and UV resistance of the blend are also obviously improved. This study will develop anovel and facile strategy to endow PP with durable hydrophobicity as well as greatly enhanced mechanical properties.

Development of antifouling antibacterial polylactic acid (PLA) -based packaging and application for chicken meat preservation

Microbial contamination is the leading cause of food spoilage and food-borne disease. Here, we developed a multifunctional surface based on polylactic acid (PLA) bioplastic with antifouling and antibacterial properties via a facile dual-coating approach. The surface was designed with hierarchical micro/nano-scale roughness and low surface energy. Bactericidal agent polyhexamethylene guanidine hydrochloride (PHMG) was incorporated to endow the film with bactericidal activity. The film had good superhydrophobic, antifouling and antibacterial performance, with a water contact angle of 154.3°, antibacterial efficiency against E. coli and S. aureus of 99.9 % and 99.6 %, respectively, and biofilm inhibition against E. coli and S. aureus of 63.5 % and 68.9 %, respectively. Synergistic effects of antibacterial adhesion and contact killing of bacteria contributed to the significant antibacterial performance of the film. The biobased biodegradable film was highly effective in preventing microbial growth when applied as antibacterial food packaging for poultry product, extending the shelf life of fresh chicken breast up to eight days.

Smart anti‐fouling and self‐repairing polymer brushes for efficient oil–water separation

AbstractThe increasing water pollution problem poses a demand for oil–water separation materials, but preparing separation materials with high efficiency and excellent durability remains a great challenge. In this work, we use a diblock polymer brush of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and poly(N,N‐dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) based on cotton fabric to prepare oil–water separation membranes with high efficiency, good durability, and intelligent self‐repairing properties. Lubricating PDMS brushes reduces the fouling adhesion due to its low surface energy and high flexibility. pH‐responsive PDMAEMA brushes provide good hydrophobicity and an intelligent self‐repairing effect. The prepared Co‐PDMS‐PDMAEMA has high oil flux (&gt;30,000 L m−2 h−1) and high separation efficiency (&gt;99%) even after 10 cycles and its surface character can be recovered under acidic conditions. Overall, the modified cotton fabric made by such a versatile technique is promising in oil–water separation.

Fabrication of superhydrophobic titanium surfaces: impact of different micropatterns

ABSTRACT Offshore and nuclear power plants use titanium condensers to cool exhaust steam from turbines. Preparation of robust superhydrophobic Titanium surfaces is necessary to protect these condensers from fouling and pitting phenomena. This study investigates the impact of various laser-textured Titanium grade 2 surface configurations followed by silicone oil heat treatment on enhancing its wettability and tribological properties. Seven distinct micropatterns were fabricated using a fiber laser with a laser power of 7.5 W, a scanning speed of 300 mm/s, a scan loop of 10, and a pulse frequency of 20 kHz. Patterned surfaces were characterized using different techniques, namely, micro-hardness, surface morphology, wettability, elemental analysis and wear. Improvement in wetting property was observed in laser textured samples after heating with silicone oil due to the adsorption of nonpolar groups (C=O, –CH3) resulting in a low energy surface. The grid pattern surface exhibited the highest water contact angle (WCA) of 151.01° due to a dense microstructure.

Preparation of composite superhydrophobic coatings for mortar utilizing polydimethylsiloxane as a hydrophobic interconnection

Cement-based materials are prone to various contamination problems in aqueous environments, and superhydrophobic coatings are an effective solution to solve this problem. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is a low surface energy polymer with good mechanical properties, which has a wide range of applications in the field of superhydrophobic coatings. In this study, isobutyltriethoxysilane (IBTES) was employed to hydrophobically modify nano- SiO2, resulting in the modified particles with a core-shell structure to enhance the interfacial effect between the inorganic particles and organosilanes. Simultaneously, the organic-inorganic composite superhydrophobic coatings were prepared using PDMS as a hydrophobic interconnection. The waterproofing performance, self-cleaning performance, aging resistance, mechanical stability, and chemical durability of the coatings were investigated. The results indicate that the water contact angle of the IBTES@SiO2/PDMS composite coating can reach 163°, showing good resistant to contamination, self-cleaning, and mechanical stability. The IBTES@SiO2/PDMS composite coating can maintain the superhydrophobicity after the UV-accelerated aging and immersion in different pH values solutions.

AgNP Composite Silicone-Based Polymer Self-Healing Antifouling Coatings.

Biofouling poses a significant challenge to the marine industry, and silicone anti-biofouling coatings have garnered extensive attention owing to their environmental friendliness and low surface energy. However, their widespread application is hindered by their low substrate adhesion and weak static antifouling capabilities. In this study, a novel silicone polymer polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based poly(urea-thiourea-imine) (PDMS-PUTI) was synthesized via stepwise reactions of aminopropyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane (APT-PDMS) with isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI), isophthalaldehyde (IPAL), and carbon disulfide (CS2). Subsequently, a nanocomposite coating (AgNPs-x/PDMS-PUTI) was prepared by adding silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) to the polymer PDMS-PUTI. The dynamic multiple hydrogen bonds formed between urea and thiourea linkages, along with dynamic imine bonds in the polymer network, endowed the coating with outstanding self-healing properties, enabling complete scratch healing within 10 min at room temperature. Moreover, uniformly dispersed AgNPs not only reduced the surface energy of the coating but also significantly enhanced its antifouling performance. The antibacterial efficiency against common marine bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P.sp) and Staphylococcus aureus (S.sp) was reduced by 97.08% and 96.71%, respectively, whilst the diatom settlement density on the coating surface was as low as approximately 59 ± 3 diatom cells/mm2. This study presents a novel approach to developing high-performance silicone antifouling coatings.

Octadecylamine modified gelatin-based biodegradable packaging film with good water repellency and improved moisture service reliability

Industrial gelatin is a good candidate for fabricating biodegradable packaging film, but the strong hydrophilicity of gelatin-based film lowers its moisture service reliability. Herein, we demonstrated a low surface energy water repellency surface design combined with covalent cross-linking for decreasing the water absorption and improving the moisture service reliability. Biodegradable octadecylamine (ODA) was chosen as the low surface energy providing material to fabricate the water repellency surface through a dehydration condensation reaction between the amine groups of ODA and gelatin chains via tetra-hydroxymethyl phosphonium chloride (THPC) in an aqueous phase. THPC also was employed as the cross-linking agent to form covalent bonding between the gelatin chains. The results determined that ODA modification and covalent cross-linking endowed the gelatin-based film with good water repellency and improved moisture service reliability. But high dose of ODA would result in phase separation and mechanical strength loss of the fabricated film. Additionally, ODA modification did not change the biodegradability of gelatin-based film, all the modified films were completely biodegradable in natural soil. Considering the sustainable modification process and abundant raw materials, the proposed strategy facilitates the effective utilization of low value industrial gelatin and provides a facile way for gelatin-based film as biodegradable packaging film.

Self-growing composite photocatalytic materials for surface self-renewal of marine antifouling coatings

The attachment of marine organisms leads to the problem of marine biofouling. Biofouling can be prevented by using antifouling coatings this provided a low surface energy surface to inhibit the attachment of marine organisms. However, microorganisms inevitably attach during their use, leading to failure of the fouling release coating. To address this problem, we report an innovative strategy of doping photocatalytic materials into silicone coatings. This approach enables the degradation of bacterial carcasses and their secretions, leading to surface self-renewal and extended fouling protection. In this work, we report the controlled crystallisation of Ag-TiO2 nanomaterials (APTES-Ag@TiO2) using various methods influenced by aminopropylsilane. This strategy ensures the full utilisation of sunlight and strong interfacial adhesion, thereby preventing the degradation of photocatalytic performance. APTES-Ag@TiO2 not only has a self-growth effect and excellent photocatalytic performance but also facilitates the degradation of bacterial carcasses, thereby renewing the surface in organosilicon coatings.

The development of a porous nickel/polysiloxane superhydrophobic coating with long-time corrosion resistance properties

Superhydrophobic (SH) coatings have great potential to protect metals by reducing the contact area between metals and corrosive media. However, the poor mechanical stability of SH coatings restricts their potential applications. In this study, a nickel underlayer with a multi-hierarchical structure was deposited on the substrate using two-step electroplating in a nickel-plating bath. Finally, the SH coating was obtained by electrodeposition in an octamethyltrisiloxane solution. The morphology, composition, hydrophobicity, and corrosion resistance of SH coating were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), contact angle measurement, and electrochemical workstation. The prepared coating, with a water contact angle (WCA) of 157.5 ± 0.5° and a sliding angle (SA) of 4.3 ± 0.4°, exhibited excellent hydrophobicity due to the multi-hierarchical rough structure and low surface energy of the coating. The porous structure of the coating allowed its hydrophobic properties to be maintained even after 240 cm of sandpaper abrasion testing. After 20 days of immersion in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution, the coating still exhibited excellent corrosion resistance (icorr ∼ 1.01 × 10−8 A⋅cm−2) and hydrophobic properties (∼ 148.5 ± 0.5°), providing long-lasting protection to the substrate and prolonging its lifespan. This study introduces a strategy for preparing long-term corrosion-resistant SH coating on metallic surfaces.

Interfacial stability and electronic properties of YBCO/ABO3 heterostructures: A comparative DFT study

In this study, we utilized density functional theory (DFT) to analyze the interfacial properties of YBa2Cu3O7 (YBCO) with perovskite metal oxides LaAlO3 (LAO), KTaO3 (KTO), and SrTiO3 (STO). We focused on surface energies, lattice mismatches, strain energies, and adhesion energies to gauge the stability and compatibility of these interfaces. Our findings indicate that KTO exhibits the highest surface preference due to its lowest surface energy (0.054 eV/Å 2), suggesting superior surface stability. Moreover, LAO and STO show minor lattice mismatches with YBCO, implying effective interface integration, while YBCO/KTO interfaces experience significant strain due to extensive lattice mismatches. STO is distinguished by the lowest strain energy (0.07 eV), indicating minimal energy requirement for lattice mismatch accommodation, unlike KTO, which demonstrates high strain energy (0.42 eV) and potential structural distortions. The strongest interfacial bond, as indicated by an adhesion energy of −2.16 eV, was observed at YBCO/LAO, while the weakest was found at the YBCO/KTO interface, with an adhesion energy of −0.56 eV. Additionally, charge density difference (CDD) analysis highlighted electron density redistribution at the interfaces, predominantly around interfacial oxygen atoms, indicating a mix of ionic and covalent bonding. This study provides comparative insights into the interfacial characteristics of YBCO/ABO3 heterostructures, suggesting pathways for optimizing their design and performance.

Development of flexible nanocellulose-based composites with enhanced hydrophobicity and improved haze for efficient light management in solar cells

The proliferation of flexible electronic products derived from petroleum substrates in the market has exacerbated environmental pollution stemming from electronic waste generation. As a result, there is an increasing demand for cellulose nanofiber substrates that are green and degradable. However, substantial challenges remain in addressing the hydrophilicity of nanocellulose substrates and optimizing their optical properties for commercial viability. In this study, we propose a multifunctional composite film material through the use of amidation modification and biomineralization technology. We successfully grafted highly carboxylated transparent oxide nanocellulose (TCNF) and octadecylamine (ODA) using carefully designed amidation conditions. Through the carboxyl group after amination, we were able to generate amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) in situ, resulting in the creation of a flexible, sustainable, and transparent TCNF/ODA/CaCO3 composite film with high hydrophobicity and haze. This was confirmed by a water contact angle value of 138.21° and a haze value of 84.8%. The composite film exhibits low surface energy and high dual-scale surface roughness, while its internal structure is relatively porous and loose, but still possesses multi-scale interface interactions. We demonstrate a strong correlation between the multifunctional properties and structural properties of the composite films in this work, thereby achieving effective light management applications in solar cells. Our findings are expected to provide new insights and ideas for the design of multifunctional green flexible solar cell device substrate materials.