Department of Electrical Engineering and Automation

Scanning droplet adhesion microscopy

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Aalto University / Robotics Instrument Group: Scanning Droplet Adhesion Microscopy / photo: Matti Hokkanen
SDAM's force-sensative water droplet probe. | Photo by Matti Hokkanen/Aalto University

We have invented Scanning Droplet Adhesion Microscopy (SDAM) to measure the fine wetting details of water-repellent surfaces. SDAM does not require a direct line of sight of the contact area, allowing measurement of uneven surfaces such as fabrics or biological surfaces. It is extremely sensitive and 1000 times more precise than the previous wetting characterization methods. In addition, it can detect wetting properties of microscopic functional features that were previously very difficult to measure. The method has been applied in the characterization of novel materials, including robust superhydrophobic surfacessuperoleophobic slippery lubricant-infused surfaces, 3D printed superhydrophobic structures, and various commercial superhydrophobic coatings.

Scanning droplet adhesion microscopy
Scanning droplet adhesion microscope.

Selected publications:

  1. Liimatainen, V., Vuckovac, M., Jokinen, V., Sariola, V., Hokkanen, M., Zhou, Q., Ras, R.H.A., “Mapping microscale wetting variations on biological and synthetic water repellent surfaces”, Nature Communications, 8, 1798, 2017.
  2. Wang, D., Sun, Q., Hokkanen, M.J., Zhang, C., Lin, F.Y., Liu, Q., Zhu, S.P., Zhou, T., Chang, Q., He, B. Zhou, Q., Chen., L, Ras, R., Deng, X., “Design of robust superhydrophobic surfaces", Nature, 582(7810), pp.55-59, 2020.
  3. Hokkanen M.J., Backholm M., Vuckovac, M., Zhou, Q., Ras R.H.A., “Force-based wetting characterization of stochastic superhydrophobic coatings at nanonewton sensitivity”, Advanced Materials, 2105130, 2021.
  4. Dong, Z., Schumann, M.F., Hokkanen, M.J., Chang, B., Welle, A., Zhou, Q., Ras, R.A.H., Xu, Z., Wegener, M., and Levkin, P.A., “Superoleophobic Slippery Lubricant-Infused Surface: Combining Two Extremes in the Same Surface”, Advanced Materials, 1803890, 2018.
  5. Dong, Z., Vuckovac, M., Cui, W., Zhou, Q., Ras, R.H. and Levkin, P.A., "3D printing of superhydrophobic objects with bulk nanostructure", Advanced Materials, 33(45), p.2106068, 2021.
Research | Robotic Instruments
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