InspiringFuture - Bioinspired nanoengineering of robust films: Multifunctional interfaces for enabling a sustainable future

在具有高整体耐久性的表面/界面方面的科学突破对于满足人类可持续发展的愿望至关重要。在这种背景下，我寻求进行基础研究，以纳米工程的新型生物驱液膜，具有抗持续高速冲击，疲劳和连续流动（剪切）的能力。我的具体目标是：1)通过厚度构建具有两疏性（即对水和低表面张力液体的排斥）的坚固和柔性薄膜；2)具有机械各向异性和能量耗散机制的多层两疏膜的纳米工程；3)利用电子显微镜集成纳米力学测试对两疏膜的粘弹塑性破坏有新的见解，并利用它们来设计坚固的压电催化4)在稳健的双疏膜上进行了首次高速（~350 m/s）液/固颗粒撞击实验，展示了它们的防结冰、防结垢和光学透明度潜力，并利用稳健的压催化膜引入连续流水修复，用于污染和疾病控制。提出的保护性纳米工程薄膜为影响运输系统、风力涡轮机和海上设施以及暴露在恶劣天气下的基础设施的冲击/侵蚀问题提供了一种独立于基材的解决方案。这些应用也将受益于我们薄膜的被动防结冰/结垢潜力。由于具有光学透明度，薄膜可以防止窗户/挡风玻璃和手持设备（例如电话/平板电脑）受到污染。此外，压电催化膜可以改造到工业/家庭管道中，以实现持续的水修复-这将减少水浪费和抗菌素耐药性（AMR）负担，并可能每年挽救数百万人的生命。总的来说，该奖学金将有助于可持续发展和实现欧洲绿色协议的目标。

Scientific breakthroughs into surfaces/interfaces with high overall durability are critical to meet humanity's aspirations for sustainable development. With this context, I seek to undertake fundamental research to nanoengineer new bioinspired liquid-repellent films featuring resistance to sustained high-speed impact, fatigue and continuous flow (shear). My specific objectives are to:1) nanoengineer robust and flexible films with amphiphobicity (i.e. repellence to water and low surface tension liquid) built through thickness2) nanoengineer multi-layered amphiphobic film with mechanical anisotropy and energy dissipative mechanisms for impact/fatigue tolerance3) develop new insights into visco-elasto-plastic failure of the amphiphobic films using electron microscopy integrated nanomechanical tests and exploit them to engineer robust piezocatalytic films 4) perform first high-speed (~350 m/s) liquid/solid particle impact experiments on robust amphiphobic films, demonstrate their anti-icing, anti-scaling and optical transparency potential and to exploit robust piezocatalytic films to introduce continuous flow water remediation for pollution and disease control.The proposed protective nanoengineered films offer a substrate-independent solution for impact/erosion issues that plague transport systems, wind-turbines and offshore installations, and infrastructure exposed to harsh weather. These applications will also benefit from passive anti-icing/scaling potential of our films. With optical transparency, the films may prevent contamination of windows/windshields and handheld devices (e.g. phones/tablets). Furthermore, the piezocatalytic films may be retrofit to industrial/domestic pipes to enable continuous water remediation - this will reduce water waste and the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) burden, and potentially save millions of lives/year. Overall, the fellowship will contribute to sustainable development and meeting the European Green Deal targets.