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Nanostructured surfaces

Inorganic-organic hybrid microparticles

Through modification with inorganic-organic hybrid microparticles, it is possible to produce graded, porous layers with adapted surface properties.  

The structuring component of the hybrid microparticles is a silicon-based, spherical cage with organic substituents. The substituents can be used to specifically adapt the properties, such as hydrophobicity. Functional groups also allow several cage molecules to be assembled into larger particles. Due to the different sizes, the particles penetrate the porous material to different depths. The desired gradient adjusts itself automatically from the relationship between size and interaction with the surface. The process is counted among the intelligent material concepts.

Project - C6C8 turn GREEN:
Lyophobizing - Fluorine-free finishing of textile fabrics

Per- and polyfluorinated compounds are suitable for the water- and soil-repellent finishing of textiles. However, the proven fluorine compounds exhibit persistent, partly toxic and bioaccumulative properties and will have to be replaced in the future due to their damaging effects.

The project objective includes the development of lyophobic finishing agents that are non-toxic and also environmentally compatible and can be applied by resource-conserving processes. The finishing and functionalization can be used to surface treat protective and outdoor clothing, among other things.

Link to the project website

Figure: Oil-, water- and dirt-repellent textile surfaces through functionalization with hybrid particles.

Microcapsule metallization

By optimizing the surface of paraffin-filled microcapsules with a nickel metal layer, it is possible to heat microcapsules using electromagnetic radiation in an alternating field.

By embedding the metallized capsules in matrix materials, it is possible to selectively heat the composites from within and thereby initiate chemical reactions in the material.

Equipment

Surface profile meter

  • DekTakXT (Fa. Bruker Corporation)

Confocal microscope

  • µsurf expert (Fa. NanoFocus AG)

Contact angle measuring device

  • OCA 35 XL (Fa. Dataphysics Instruments GmbH)

Atomic force microscope

  • Dimension FastScan (Fa. Bruker-Nano, Inc.)

Metallization

  • Wet chemical deposition Nickel, Silver
  • Physical vapor deposition (PVD) Gold, Silver

Plasma treatment

  • Low pressure plasma VacuTEC2020 (Fa. Tantec Vertrieb GmbH)