CAREER: Fundamental Studies of Condensation Phenomena on Heterogeneous and Hierarchical Nanoengineered Surfaces

这个职业项目旨在推进涉及纳米工程表面的热流体表面相互作用的研究和教育计划，重点是冷凝现象。通过实验和分析方法，该研究项目旨在了解表面的原子和纳米级性质如何最终定义相变过程中宏观尺度的热量和质量输运性质。这些研究可能会导致新的纳米工程表面，可能会从根本上改变与各个行业相关的冷凝现象，包括但不限于能源、水、农业和交通。智力优势：表面的润湿性和形态在相变输运现象中起主导作用。这个项目解决了这两个问题。首先，现有的关于内在润湿性和润湿滞后的理论仅适用于分析给定表面的润湿特性。它们不能回答是什么基本的材料特性决定了表面的内在润湿性。因此，活性表面的材料选择通常是基于反复试验的方法。该项目将利用量子力学计算和独特的实验技术，建立对控制固有润湿性和润湿滞后的原子和电子结构特性的基本理解，使工程师能够设计出具有理想润湿性能的新型耐用材料。其次，尽管涉及微观和纳米结构表面的润湿研究已经进行了一段时间，但对纳米结构表面上凝结的研究并不常见。此外，在纳米尺度上，层次结构和润湿非均质性对缩聚的影响尚未得到探讨。这个项目将导致新的表面，旨在控制成核，生长和动态润湿现象。更广泛的影响：相变现象在能源和水工业中无处不在。这些工程系统是采用增量方法设计的，这些方法受到热-流体-表面相互作用本质的基本约束，而热-流体-表面相互作用是最大的低效现象。这项研究可以消除这些古老的限制，以提高各个行业的转型效率。该方案的教育和推广活动将针对不同层次的参与者：本科生，特别是来自代表性不足的少数民族和妇女的本科生，将积极参与研究。将为K-12教师和学生提供暑期培训讲习班。研究生将是该计划的一个组成部分。新的发现将通过技术出版物传播，并整合到纳米工程表面的新跨学科课程中。对工业和技术转让的推广将通过较短、快节奏的暑期课程进行。这些教育活动对于为下一代科学家和工程师提供纳米工程、表面科学和热流体科学综合领域的专业知识，以应对涉及能源、水和农业的全球挑战至关重要。

0952564VaranasiThis CAREER project seeks to advance research and education programs in thermal-fluid-surface interactions involving nanoengineered surfaces with an emphasis on condensation phenomena. Using experimental and analytical approaches, the research program seeks to understand how atomistic and nanoscale properties of surfaces ultimately define macroscale heat and mass transport properties during phase change. The studies could lead to new, nanoengineered surfaces that might fundamentally alter condensation phenomena pertinent to various industries including but not limited to energy, water, agriculture and transportation.Intellectual Merit: Both the wettability and morphology of a surface play dominant roles in phase change transport phenomena. This project address both issues. First, the existing theories regarding intrinsic wettability and wetting hysteresis are only useful to analyze wetting properties of a given surface. They cannot answer the question of what fundamental material properties govern the intrinsic wettability of a surface. As a result, material choice for active surfaces is typically based on a trial-and-error approach. This project will establish a fundamental understanding of the atomistic and electronic-structure properties that govern intrinsic wettability and wetting hysteresis using both quantum mechanical calculations and unique experimental techniques to enable engineers to design new classes of durable materials with desired wetting properties. Second, although wetting studies involving micro- and nanostructured surfaces have been conducted for some time, investigation of condensation on nanostructured surfaces is uncommon. Moreover, the influence of hierarchical structures and wetting heterogeneities on condensation at the nanoscale has not been explored. This project will lead to new surfaces that are designed to control nucleation, growth, and dynamic wetting phenomena. Broader Impacts: Phase change phenomena are ubiquitous in the energy and water industries. These engineering systems have been designed using incremental approaches that are bound by the fundamental constraint of the nature of the thermal-fluid-surface interaction where the largest inefficiencies occur. This research could eliminate these age-old constraints for transformational efficiency gains in various industries. The educational and outreach activities of the program will target participants at various levels: undergraduate students, especially from underrepresented minorities and women, will be actively engaged in research. Summer training workshops for K-12 teachers and students will be provided. Graduate students will be an integral part of the program. New discoveries will be disseminated through technical publication and integrated into a new interdisciplinary course on nanoengineered surfaces. Outreach to industry and technology transfer will be conducted through shorter, fast-paced summer courses. These educational activities will be crucial in equipping the next generation of scientists and engineers with expertise in the combined areas of nanoengineering, surface science, and thermal-fluid science to address global challenges involving energy, water, and agriculture.