Northwestern University

Kyoo-Chul Park

Yuehan Yao

Youhua Jiang

Christian John Machado

Jian Cao

Jiaxing Huang

Neelesh A Patankar

George F Wells

Alex B Gelber

Natalia Alvarez

Haiyue Huang

Morgan L Petrovich

Nicolas Martinez Prieto

A surface texture includes a three-dimensional structure, a cross-section of which includes a first serration and a second serration. The first serration has a first peak having a height measured from a base of the three-dimensional structure to a top of the first serration. A valley is formed in between the first serration and the second serration, where the valley has a length measured from a base of the first serration to a base of the second serration. The first serration also has a vertex angle that forms the first peak. A coating that covers at least a portion of the valley, where the valley is designed to remain free of frost.

Hybrid surface designs with passive diffusion-limited deposition capabilities

Self-healing, hydrophobic composites and related methods are provided. A method of repelling water may comprise forming a layer of a self-healing, hydrophobic composite comprising a porous network of entangled polymer fibers and a hydrophobic phase change material infused throughout the network, on a surface of a substrate to form a treated surface; and exposing the treated surface to water, wherein the treated surface exhibits a native water droplet contact angle which is greater than that of an untreated surface without the layer of the composite.

Self-healing, hydrophobic composites and related methods

A system to collect liquid includes a wavy surface formed on a substrate, where the wavy surface includes a plurality of waves. The plurality of waves are configured to capture liquid from the air such that the liquid accumulates in valleys of the waves. The system also includes a liquid collection container configured to collect the liquid captured on the plurality of waves.

Liquid collection on wavy surfaces

A method of forming an ice resistant surface includes determining, based at least in part on a desired pattern of frost formation, a vertex angle for a ridge that is to be formed on a substrate. The method also includes determining, based at least in part on the desired pattern of frost formation, a vertex height for the ridge that is to be formed on the substrate. The method further includes forming a plurality of ridges on the substrate, where each ridge in the plurality of ridges has the vertex angle and the vertex height.

Serrated surfaces for anti-icing applications

Omniphilic and superomniphilic surfaces for simultaneous vapor condensation and airborne liquid droplet collection are provided. Also provided are methods for using the surfaces to condense liquid vapor and/or capture airborne liquid droplets, such as water droplets found in mist and fog. The surfaces provide enhanced capture and transport efficiency based on preferential capillary condensation on high surface energy surfaces, thin film dynamics, and force convection.

Surfaces with high surface areas for enhanced condensation and airborne liquid droplet collection

Methods of removing a film of a biological material from a surface are provided. In embodiments, such a method comprises applying magnetic particles to a surface contaminated with a film of a biological material; and exposing the magnetic particles to a changing magnetic field to move the magnetic particles relative to the contaminated surface, thereby removing the film from the surface.

Growing community of inventors

Evanston, IL, United States of America

Kyoo-Chul Park