J. D’Eon, G. Paink, T. Nahum, G. Tremelling, P. Kim
Adaptive Surface Technologies, Inc.,
United States
Keywords: SLIPS, slippery surface, liquid-infused surface, repellent, omniphobic, spray-on, industrial, manufacturing
Summary:
Industrial manufacturing equipment handling highly viscous materials (e.g. cosmetics, adhesives, paints, pharmaceuticals, etc.) and materials having yield-stress (e.g. ketchup, mayonnaise, crude oil, blood, etc.) commonly encounter these materials sticking to their surface and resisting from being drained and cleaned. These ‘sticky problems’ result in more waste, increased cleaning cost and time, and additional capital cost. Eliminating the wall friction by providing a slippery (i.e. extremely low contact angle hysteresis) and non-stick surface can dramatically save wasted products and the use of additional chemicals and energy required for thorough cleaning of the equipment. SLIPS (Slippery Liquid Infused Porous Surfaces) creates a stable and immobilized liquid lubricant overlayer and this “liquid surface” provides extremely slippery and non-sticky surfaces against a wide range of viscous contaminants, biofouling, ice, and frost. We will present the design principles and development pathways for creating spray-on, uniformly nanoporous, and highly fluorinated polymer nanocomposite thin films that are ideally designed for creating SLIPS by infusing the surface with a lubricant. We will also present selected examples in industrial applications to demonstrate how SLIPS coatings are providing ‘greener’ options for the manufacturing industry.