SBIR Phase II: Anti-Fouling, Sludge- and Liquid-Repellent Slippery Surface Coatings for Common Plastics

小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第二阶段项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是开发塑料涂料，应用范围从卫生设施到汽车显示器。很少有塑料表面涂层可以抵抗细菌和矿物质沉积的污染，同时也实现了液体和污泥的排斥。该项目将开发一种光滑的表面涂层，可以驱走液体、污泥、细菌和普通塑料上的矿物沉积物。这个小型企业创新研究第二阶段项目将推进液体固定的光滑表面(LESS)涂层的翻译，这些涂层可以直接应用于各种塑料。由于缺乏反应的表面化学，使塑料具有机械耐久的表面涂层的功能化是具有挑战性的。与未经处理的表面相比，LESS表现出出色的液体和污泥排斥能力，细菌堆积和矿物沉积减少了95%以上。本项目将通过分子动力学模拟和实验表征相结合的方法，研究最佳配方和涂层参数，以提高LESS与塑料的界面结合强度。新开发的少塑料涂层将被系统地评估其机械和紫外线耐久性、防液体和防淤泥以及抗菌和防结垢功能。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to develop coatings for plastics, with applications from sanitation to automotive displays. Few surface coatings on plastics can resist fouling of bacteria and mineral deposits while also achieving both liquid- and sludge-repellency. This project will develop a slippery surface coating that repels liquid, sludge, bacteria, and mineral deposits on common plastics. This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project will advance translation of liquid-entrenched smooth surface (LESS) coatings that can be directly applied to various plastics. Functionalizing plastics with mechanically durable surface coatings is challenging owing to the lack of reactive surface chemistry. LESS demonstrates excellent liquid- and sludge-repellency with over 95% reduction in bacteria accumulation and mineral deposits compared to untreated surfaces. This project will investigate the optimal formulation and coating parameters to enhance interfacial bonding strength of LESS onto plastics through combined molecular dynamic simulations and experimental characterizations. The newly developed LESS-on-plastics coatings will be systematically evaluated for their mechanical and UV durability, liquid- and sludge-repellency as well as the anti-bacterial and anti-scaling functions.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.