EcoMat Webinar Series | Wetting of Auxetic Metamaterials

About the EcoMat Webinar Series

Join the EcoMat webinar series, which will provide you with a platform to learn about the cutting-edge studies on eco-materials and exchange thoughts with peers. 

Session in Oct 2023

Wetting of Auxetic Metamaterials 

4pm on Oct 25, Wednesday (China Standard Time)/ 9am on Oct 25, Wednesday (London Time)

SPEAKERS

1. Prof. Glen McHale, The University of Edinburgh 

Wetting of Auxetic Metamaterials 

It is a common conception that when a material is stretched it becomes narrower. However, when an auxetic metamaterial is stretched it has the counterintuitive property of becoming wider. This is because the properties of an auxetic material are determined by its lattice arrangement and not by the materials properties of the individual solid elements. Because the expansion of the solid surface area is due to increased space between the solid elements, this allows new types of superhydrophobic, hemi-wicking and liquid-infused surfaces. In this talk I will describe the theory for a hydrophobic bow-tie element based auxstic lattice constructed with joints that rotate under strain to create a hexagonal lattice. This creates an auxetic superhydrophobic material with a negative Poisson’s ratio with unique properties which can be converted by strain to a conventional superhydrophobic material with a positive Poisson’s ratio. I will complement these theoretical ideas with experimental results using surfaces designed with micro-scale bow-tie lattice structures implemented lithographically in SU-8 and PDMS. I will show how the wetting gives a new type of superhydrophobicity on these surfaces for different lattice configurations. I will also discuss how metastable suspended droplets on these lattices convert into penetrating droplets as their surface tension is reduced. 

MODERATOR

Prof. Bin Xu, University of Northumbria at Newcastle

Please complete the registration form. You will receive email notification with the even joining URL at least 3 days in advance.