Wettability, Shrinkage and Color Changes of Araucaria angustifolia After Heating Treatment

The effects of thermal treatment on the wettability and shrink resistance of Araucaria angustifolia (Parana pine) were studied from 20 to 200 °C. The contact angles of water droplets on untreated and heat-treated samples were measured by the sessile drop method in the grain of heartwood and sapwood cut in the radial, longitudinal, and tangential directions. A significant increase of the contact angles was verified for the samples from room temperature to 120 °C, in particular in the radial and tangential directions; at higher temperatures, the contact angles assumed almost constant values. From 120 to 200 °C, the sapwood of Araucaria angustifolia showed better dimensional stability and lower thermal resistance when compared to the heartwood. Variations of color were also studied by using the CIELab system, which showed to be capable of accurately distinguishing samples treated at different temperatures.

Ageing effects on the wettability behavior of laser textured silicon

In the present work we investigate the ageing of acid cleaned femtosecond laser textured < 100 > silicon surfaces. Changes in the surface structure and chemistry were analysed by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), in order to explain the variation with time of the water contact angles of the laser textured surfaces. It is shown that highly hydrophobic silicon surfaces are obtained immediately after laser texturing and cleaning with acid solutions (water contact angle >120 degrees). However these surfaces are not stable and ageing leads to a decrease of the water contact angle which reaches a value of 80 degrees. XPS analysis of the surfaces shows that the growth of the native oxide layer is most probably responsible for this behavior. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of oxygen plasma treatment parameters on poly(vinylidene fluoride) electrospun fiber mats wettability

Electrospun poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) fiber mats find applications in an increasing number of areas, such as battery separators, filtration and detection membranes, due to their excellent properties. However, there are limitations due to the hydrophobic nature and low surface energy of PVDF. In this work, oxygen plasma treatment has been applied in order to modify the surface wettability of PVDF fiber mats and superhydrophilic PVDF electrospun membranes have been obtained. Further, plasma treatment does not significantly influences fiber average size (~400 ± 200 nm), morphology, electroactive -phase content (~80-85%) or the degree of crystallinity (Xc of 42 ± 2%), allowing to maintain the excellent physical-chemical characteristics of PVDF. Plasma treatment mainly induces surface chemistry modifications, such as the introduction of oxygen and release of fluorine atoms that significantly changes polymer membrane wettability by a reduction of the contact angle of the polymer fibers and an overall decrease of the surface tension of the membranes.

Erratum: Influence of oxygen plasma treatment parameters on poly(vinylidene fluoride) electrospun fiber mats wettability

Electrospun poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) fiber mats find applications in an increasing number of areas, such as battery separators, filtration and detection membranes, due to their excellent properties. However, there are limitations due to the hydrophobic nature and low surface energy of PVDF. In this work, oxygen plasma treatment has been applied in order to modify the surface wettability of PVDF fiber mats and superhydrophilic PVDF electrospun membranes have been obtained. Further, plasma treatment does not significantly influences fiber average size (~400 ± 200 nm), morphology, electroactive -phase content (~80-85%) or the degree of crystallinity (Xc of 42 ± 2%), allowing to maintain the excellent physical-chemical characteristics of PVDF. Plasma treatment mainly induces surface chemistry modifications, such as the introduction of oxygen and release of fluorine atoms that significantly changes polymer membrane wettability by a reduction of the contact angle of the polymer fibers and an overall decrease of the surface tension of the membranes.

INFLUENCE OF THE GLYPHOSATE FORMULATIONS ON WETTABILITY AND EVAPORATION TIME OF DROPLETS ON DIFFERENT TARGETS

ABSTRACTEfficiency of weed control can be increased if the herbicide formulation provides higher target coverage and evaporation time that enable an adequate distribution of herbicide on the target plant, allowing the absorption to continue even after the droplets evaporation. The aim of this research was to assess the influence of glyphosate formulations on the wetted area and evaporation time of droplets on different targets. Tests were conducted with droplets sizing from 500 μm containing three formulations of glyphosate (isopropylamine salt, ammonium salt and potassium salt) deposited on three surfaces, two leaves (Bidens pilosa and Cenchrus echinatus) and glass slides. Sequential images analyses were used to quantify the evaporation time and the wetted area. An experimental system was utilized that was composed of a droplet generator, a stereo microscope with a camera to capture images, as well as an environmental chamber controlled for temperature and relative humidity. The kind of glyphosate formulations and target surfaces are crucial in the wetted area and evaporation time. The isopropylamine salt decreased the wetted area and evaporation time when compared with ammonium salt and potassium salt for all the surfaces deposited on. Bidens pilosa allows an increased wetted area for all the glyphosate formulations when compared to Cenchrus echinatus and glass slides.

Self-assembled arginine-capped peptide bolaamphiphile nanosheets for cell culture and controlled wettability surfaces

The spontaneous assembly of a peptide bolaamphiphile in water, namely, RFL4FR (R, arginine; F, phenylalanine; L, leucine) is investigated, along with its novel properties in surface modification and usage as substrates for cell culture. RFL4FR self-assembles into nanosheets through lateral association of the peptide backbone. The L4 sequence is located within the core of the nanosheets, whereas the R moieties are exposed to the water at the surface of the nanosheets. Kinetic assays indicate that the self-assembly is driven by a remarkable two-step process, where a nucleation phase is followed by fast growth of nanosheets with an autocatalysis process. The internal structure of the nanosheets is formed from ultrathin bolaamphiphile monolayers with a crystalline orthorhombic symmetry with cross-β organization. We show that human corneal stromal fibroblast (hCSF) cells can grow on polystyrene films coated with films dried from RFL4FR solutions. For the first time, this type of amphiphilic peptide is used as a substrate to modulate the wettability of solid surfaces for cell culture applications.

Wettability of Aqueous Rhamnolipids Solutions Produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa LBI

The wetting behavior of rhamnolipids produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa LBI strain grown on waste oil substrate and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) on glass, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) and polymer blend (PVC-PCL) was investigated by the measuring contact angle of sessile drops, to determine the wetting characteristics of rhamnolipids. The comparison of the wetting profiles showed that at low SDS and rhamnolipid concentrations, the contact angle increased and when the concentration of the surfactant increased further, the contact angle decreased. The blend surface (PVC-PCL) showed better wettability than the homopolymers themselves and the blend changed the surface hydrophobicity of the polymer, making it more hydrophilic. The rhamnolipids produced by the LBI strain exhibited superior wetting abilities than the chemical surfactant SDS one. This is the first work that evaluates the wetting properties of rhamnolipids on polymer blends.

Wettability, optical properties and molecular structure of plasma polymerized diethylene glycol dimethyl ether

Modern industry has frequently employed ethylene glycol ethers as monomers in plasma polymerization process to produce different types of coatings. In this work we used a stainless steel plasma reactor to grow thin polymeric films from low pressure RF excited plasma of diethylene glycol dimethyl ether. Plasmas were generated at 5W RF power in the range of 16 Pa to 60 Pa. The molecular structure of plasma polymerized films and their optical properties were analyzed by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and UltravioletVisible Spectroscopy, respectively. The IR spectra show C-H stretching at 3000-2900 cm(-1), C=O stretching at 1730-1650 cm(-1), C-H bending at 1440-1380 cm(-1), C-O and C-O-C stretching at 1200-1000 cm(-1). The refraction index was around 1.5 and the optical gap calculated from absorption coefficient presented value near 3.8 eV. Water contact angle of the films ranged from 40 degrees to 35 degrees with corresponding surface energy from 66 to 73x10(-7) J. Because of its favorable optical and hydrophilic characteristics these films can be used in ophthalmic industries as glass lenses coatings.

Wettability of Aqueous Rhamnolipids Solutions Produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa LBI

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Wettability and photodegradation activity of sol-gel dip-coated zinc oxide films

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Wettability of chlorhexidine treated non-carious and caries-affected dentine

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

EVALUATION OF ROUGHNESS, WETTABILITY, AND MORPHOLOGY OF AN YTTRIA-STABILIZED TETRAGONAL ZIRCONIA POLYCRYSTAL CERAMIC AFTER DIFFERENT AIRBORNE-PARTICLE ABRASION PROTOCOL

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)