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Processes
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Interfacial Structure-Mediated Controllable Adhesion and Assembly
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Interfacial Structure-Mediated Controllable Adhesion and Assembly

A special issue of Processes (ISSN 2227-9717). This special issue belongs to the section "Materials Processes".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 July 2025 | Viewed by 12932

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Wendong Liu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Chemistry, Dalian University of Technology, Linggong Road 2, Dalian 116024, China
Interests: controllable adhesion; supraparticles; microfabrication; self-assembly; surface engineering; functional materials
Dr. Siyuan Xiang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Academy of Food Interdisciplinary Science, School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, China
Interests: dietary bioactive components; delivery; hydrogel; functional materials; bioadhesive surfaces; wetting

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Interface science has changed significantly and played an essential role in controllable adhesion and assembly over the past decade. This is mainly due to the development of controllable synthesis methods and microfabrication techniques, such as microstructure-integrated implants that demonstrate a bioadhesive surface which is beneficial for biocompatibility, and superhydrophobic materials that repel water and be applied on windows for self-cleaning. The existence of interfacial structures can provide necessary surface roughness, a large number of reactive sites, specific paths for mass transportation, etc., playing an essential role in achieving adhesion properties and helping us to proceed with the assembly process. Therefore, it has become important for researchers to investigate the relationship between the micro/nanostructures and the adhesion properties and assembly processes. The development of interfacial structure-mediated controllable adhesion and assembly also allowed us to explore the chemical, physical, and biological phenomena that occur at the microscopic and mesoscopic scale and significantly accelerated the integration of different disciplines.

This Special Issue on " Interfacial Structure-Mediated Controllable Adhesion and Assembly" aims to provide a detailed understanding of the current status and prospects of this field. It includes, but is not limited to, the following aspects:

  • Development of novel interfacial structure manufacturing approaches;
  • Surfaces with controllable wettabilities, including liquid-repellent surfaces;
  • Adhesive, bioadhesive, and anti-bioadhesion materials;
  • Interface-mediated supramolecular assembly;
  • Supraparticle fabrication mediated by interfaces or surfaces.

I am pleased to invite you to submit a manuscript to this Special Issue, where we welcome original research papers and reviews on topical areas.

Dr. Wendong Liu
Dr. Siyuan Xiang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Processes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • interfaces
  • wetting
  • micro- or nanofabrication
  • controllable adhesion
  • self-assembly
  • supraparticles
  • surface

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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23 pages, 3427 KiB  
Article
Enhanced Interfaces for High-Temperature Purposes—Practical Methodology and Characterization
by José Pereira, Reinaldo Souza, António Moreira and Ana Moita
Processes 2024, 12(10), 2265; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12102265 - 17 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1165
Abstract
The current study is focused on devising treated diatomite interfaces with the robustness and boiling water resistance necessary for high-temperature purposes. This work describes the synthesis methodology of the diatomite-based coatings, which followed the production of a composite formulation composed by treated diatomite [...] Read more.
The current study is focused on devising treated diatomite interfaces with the robustness and boiling water resistance necessary for high-temperature purposes. This work describes the synthesis methodology of the diatomite-based coatings, which followed the production of a composite formulation composed by treated diatomite powder dispersed in an epoxy resin matrix. After its preparation, the suspension was applied via the dip-coating technique over AISI-304 stainless-steel foils, which, after being air dried, underwent a post-curing treatment. Also, the interfaces were characterized by diverse techniques such as scanning electron microscopy and optical tensiometry. Apart from this, their thermophysical properties like thermal conductivity were also determined. Further, the physical and chemical durability of the interfaces was also evaluated via the elaboration of robustness tests including abrasion resistance, adhesion strength, solid impact resistance, and solvent resistance. The results showed satisfactory resistant interfaces, and with a wettability characterized by contact angles superior to 150°. Also, the interfaces confirmed improved durability when immersed in boiling water at 1 atm, since their wetting characteristics and durability remained nearly unaltered after 762 h of testing. Additionally, the synthesized interfaces possessed self-cleaning ability and chemical and thermal shock aging resistance. Generally, the fundamental outcomes of this work point out the suitability of the produced diatomite-based interfaces to be explored in high-temperature applications like flow boiling, pool boiling, and condensation. In terms of practicality, the method of preparation of the interfaces was a relatively easy and rapid approach to obtaining enhanced wettability and resilient interfaces, and with the required adaptations like the ratios between the raw materials, its suitability for large-scale applications makes this an appealing option. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interfacial Structure-Mediated Controllable Adhesion and Assembly)
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14 pages, 8716 KiB  
Article
Tailoring the Surface of Sintered Magnesia–Chromia Catalyst with a Sol–Gel Auto-Combustion Technique
by Thirukumaran Periyasamy, Shakila Parveen Asrafali and Jaewoong Lee
Processes 2024, 12(9), 2019; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12092019 - 19 Sep 2024
Viewed by 960
Abstract
The research presented in this work explores two methods for synthesizing supported metal catalysts: wet impregnation method (IM) and sol–gel auto-combustion method (AC). These techniques were used to create a series of magnesium oxide (MgO)-based materials, including pure MgO and MgO-supported chromia catalysts, [...] Read more.
The research presented in this work explores two methods for synthesizing supported metal catalysts: wet impregnation method (IM) and sol–gel auto-combustion method (AC). These techniques were used to create a series of magnesium oxide (MgO)-based materials, including pure MgO and MgO-supported chromia catalysts, CrMgX, varying the weight percentage of chromium. The specific materials synthesized are unmodified MgO; MgO loaded with 1, 3, and 5 wt% CrO3 via impregnation; and counterparts prepared with the same loadings using Cr (NO3)3 via sol–gel auto-combustion method. After synthesis, various characterization techniques were utilized to analyze the samples comprehensively. These methods encompass FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, XRD, SEM, and BET surface area analysis. The investigation revealed a clear distinction between the two synthesis methods. While the impregnation method resulted in a greater degree of interaction between the metal oxides, the sol–gel auto-combustion approach yielded materials with superior textural and morphological properties. Significantly, the BET analysis demonstrated that all the MgO and CrMgX catalysts possessed high surface areas. In particular, the CrMg 3 (AC) catalysts synthesized via sol–gel auto-combustion exhibited an exceptional surface area of 72 m2 g−1, which is the highest value reported for such materials in the existing literature. This remarkable surface area directly translates to enhanced catalytic activity, making these materials strong contenders for various industrial applications. The research effectively highlights the potential of sol–gel auto-combustion as a method for producing catalysts with outstanding textural properties, a crucial factor for developing high-performance catalysts for industrial processes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interfacial Structure-Mediated Controllable Adhesion and Assembly)
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15 pages, 23365 KiB  
Article
Anti-Ice PMMA Surface Design and Processing
by Yanming Chen and Aixin Feng
Processes 2024, 12(7), 1322; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12071322 - 26 Jun 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1674
Abstract
At low temperatures, PMMA surfaces are prone to ice and frost formation, which presents a significant challenge for PMMA’s efficient application in cold environments due to the difficulty in physically removing the accumulated ice. Superhydrophobic surfaces exhibit promising potential in passive anti-icing strategies. [...] Read more.
At low temperatures, PMMA surfaces are prone to ice and frost formation, which presents a significant challenge for PMMA’s efficient application in cold environments due to the difficulty in physically removing the accumulated ice. Superhydrophobic surfaces exhibit promising potential in passive anti-icing strategies. To exploit this advantage, we employed femtosecond laser technology to create six distinct microstructured PMMA surfaces, followed by surface modification using 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane, resulting in enhanced hydrophobic and anti-icing properties. Among the tested structures, a secondary circular dot pattern achieved a remarkable contact angle of 153.7°, prolonging the freezing duration by approximately 40% at −10 °C, and reducing frost accumulation by over 50%. The ice adhesion strength was significantly reduced to 34 kPa. These findings contribute to broadening the applicability of PMMA and advancing the use of superhydrophobic surfaces in anti-icing applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interfacial Structure-Mediated Controllable Adhesion and Assembly)
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17 pages, 2911 KiB  
Article
Fluorine-Free and Transparent Superhydrophobic Coating with Enhanced Anti-Icing and Anti-Frosting Performance by Using D26 and KH560 as Coupling Agents
by Ting Xiao, Yudian Wang, Xia Lang, Siyu Chen, Lihua Jiang, Fujun Tao, Yequan Xiao, Xinyi Li and Xinyu Tan
Processes 2024, 12(4), 654; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12040654 - 25 Mar 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1791
Abstract
Superhydrophobic surfaces with non-wetting characteristics have been considered to be potential candidates for ice/frost prevention. In this study, a transparent superhydrophobic coating was created by using a simple method that employed (3-glycidoxypropyl) trimethoxysilane (KH560) and 1,2-Bis (trimethoxysilyl) ethane (D26) as coupling agents and [...] Read more.
Superhydrophobic surfaces with non-wetting characteristics have been considered to be potential candidates for ice/frost prevention. In this study, a transparent superhydrophobic coating was created by using a simple method that employed (3-glycidoxypropyl) trimethoxysilane (KH560) and 1,2-Bis (trimethoxysilyl) ethane (D26) as coupling agents and epoxy resin (E51) as an adhesive. The synergy between KH560 and D26 significantly improves the long-term outdoor durability, anti-icing, and anti-frosting performance of the superhydrophobic coating. The coating also has good acid and alkali resistance, UV resistance, and durability. The obtained SiO2@E51@KH560@D26 can delay the freezing time of water by 1974 s, much longer than bare glass (345 s) and also longer than the coatings with only D26 (932 s) or with only KH560 (1087 s). Moreover, the SiO2@E51@KH560@D26 showed an improved anti-frosting capability compared with the other three samples and better maintained its superhydrophobic properties at low temperatures. Our study proposes a potential method to fabricate a superhydrophobic coating with both anti-icing and anti-frosting properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interfacial Structure-Mediated Controllable Adhesion and Assembly)
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15 pages, 6308 KiB  
Communication
An Injection-Mold Based Method with a Nested Device for Microdroplet Generation by Centrifugation
by Jichen Li, Wen Li, Bizhu Wu, Wenting Bu, Miaomiao Li, Jinyan Ou, Yuxiang Xiong, Shangtao Wu, Yanyi Huang, Yong Fan and Yongfan Men
Processes 2024, 12(3), 483; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12030483 - 27 Feb 2024
Viewed by 2179
Abstract
Microdroplets have been widely used in different fields due to their unique properties, such as compartmentalization, single-molecule sensitivity, chemical and biological compatibility, and high throughput. Compared to intricate and labor-intensive microfluidic techniques, the centrifuge-based method is more convenient and cost-effective for generating droplets. [...] Read more.
Microdroplets have been widely used in different fields due to their unique properties, such as compartmentalization, single-molecule sensitivity, chemical and biological compatibility, and high throughput. Compared to intricate and labor-intensive microfluidic techniques, the centrifuge-based method is more convenient and cost-effective for generating droplets. In this study, we developed a handy injection molding based method to readily produce monodisperse droplets by centrifugation. Briefly, we used two three-dimensional (3D) printed master molds with internal cavities to forge two coupled sub-molds by injecting polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and casted these two PDMS sub-molds into a nested structure that clamps the micro-channel array (MiCA) by injecting polyurethane resin. This method enables the generation of various sizes of monodispersed microdroplets by centrifugation with proper parameters within 10 min. To assess the performance of this method, homogeneous fluorescent hydrogel microspheres were generated and droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) was carried out. Overall, this method offers high-throughput droplet generation, reduces costs compared to other methods, and is user-friendly. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interfacial Structure-Mediated Controllable Adhesion and Assembly)
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Review

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48 pages, 7670 KiB  
Review
Stretchable Superhydrophobic Surfaces: From Basic Fabrication Strategies to Applications
by Wendong Liu, Xiaojing Wang, Siyuan Xiang, Yuechang Lian and Shengyang Tao
Processes 2024, 12(1), 124; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12010124 - 3 Jan 2024
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4061
Abstract
Superhydrophobic surfaces find extensive applications in various fields, including self-cleaning, liquid manipulation, anti-icing, and water harvesting. To achieve superhydrophobicity, the surfaces are designed with hierarchical nano- and/or microscale protrusions. These structures result in a static contact angle above 150° and a sliding/rolling-off angle [...] Read more.
Superhydrophobic surfaces find extensive applications in various fields, including self-cleaning, liquid manipulation, anti-icing, and water harvesting. To achieve superhydrophobicity, the surfaces are designed with hierarchical nano- and/or microscale protrusions. These structures result in a static contact angle above 150° and a sliding/rolling-off angle below 10° when water droplets deposit on the surface. The combination of hierarchical structures and low-surface energy materials contributes to this unique liquid-repellent property. In addition to liquid repellency, the durability of these surfaces is crucial for practical applications, which has prompted the exploration of stretchable superhydrophobic surfaces as a viable solution. The flexibility of these surfaces means that they are effectively safeguarded against mechanical damage and can withstand daily wear and tear. Over the last decade, considerable research has been dedicated to developing stretchable superhydrophobic surfaces to expand their potential applications. This review provides an overview of stretchable superhydrophobic surfaces, specifically emphasizing current processing strategies and their prospective applications. Additionally, we present a forward-looking perspective on future fabrication methods to create robust superhydrophobic surfaces, further enhancing their practicality and versatility. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interfacial Structure-Mediated Controllable Adhesion and Assembly)
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