Dr. Binyu Zhao

Contact person Wetting and Nanomechanics
at the Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V.

Hohe Strasse 6
01069 Dresden

Phone: +49 (0)351 4658-1486
Fax: +49 (0)351 4658-474
Email: zhao-binyu@ipfdd.de

Bridging microscopic surface/interface structures and mechanics to macroscopic wetting phenomena.

The research in our group focuses on interfacial fluids and mechanics, in particular on wetting and nano-mechanics related to droplets and bubbles. We are mainly using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and optical high-speed imaging, but also collaboratively in combination with theoretical means and simulations, to fundamentally understand the wetting statics and dynamics of solid surfaces by liquids at multiple scales. We are interested in the microscopic surface structures and wetting properties of the solids, and the nano-mechanics at the solid-liquid and gas-liquid interfaces. We aim to correlate these microscopic surface/interface properties to the macroscopic wetting behaviors on diverse solid surfaces, such as atomically smooth surfaces, micro-/nano-structured surfaces, and soft surfaces. The research topics include AFM-based interfacial nano-mechanics, interfacial nanodroplets/nanobubbles, nano-wetting, soft wetting, liquid drop impact, drop evaporation, drop condensation, etc.

• DFG - Air cushioning in drop impact on nonwetting nanoporous surfaces: formation of a novel air film and its influencing factors (2021 - 2024)

• Zhao, B.; Luo, S.; Bonaccurso, E.; Auernhammer, G.; Deng, X.; Li, Z.; Chen, L., Resolving the apparent line tension of sessile droplets and understanding its sign change at a critical wetting angle. Physical Review Letters 2019, 123, (9), 094501.
• Zhao, B.; Jia, Y.; Xu, Y.; Bonaccurso, E.; Deng, X.; Auernhammer, G.; Chen, L., What can probing liquid-air menisci inside nanopores teach us about macroscopic wetting phenomena? ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 2021, 13, (5), 6897-6905.
• Hu, Y.; Zhao, B.; Lin, S.; Deng, X.; Chen, L., Evaporation and particle deposition of bi-component colloidal droplets on a superhydrophobic surface. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 2020, 159, 120063.
• Zhao, B.; Wang, X.; Zhang, K.; Chen, L.; Deng, X., Impact of Viscous Droplets on Superamphiphobic Surfaces. Langmuir 2017, 33, (1), 144-151.
• Zhao, B.; Bonaccurso, E.; Auernhammer, G. K.; Chen, L., Elasticity-to-Capillarity Transition in Soft Substrate Deformation. Nano Letters 2021, 21 (24), 10361-10367.