Superwetting surfaces derived from sustainable materials for environmental and energy applications

Abstract

This thesis focuses on the utilization of sustainable materials, including cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), cellulose nanofibers (CNF), and modified lycopodium pollen particles, for the development of superwettable surfaces with diverse properties. By incorporating surface modifications, such as grafting CNC with positively charged functional materials and incorporating superhydrophobic modified lycopodium pollen particles, these sustainable materials were used to fabricate superhydrophobic, superlyophobic, highly hydrophilic, and superhydrophilic surfaces. These superwettable surfaces hold great potential for environmental and energy applications, such as non-loss micro droplet transfer, oil/water emulsion separation, ions transfer and salinity energy harvesting.