title: Quantum vacuum photon modes and superhydrophobicity.
abstract: Nanostructures are commonly used for developing superhydrophobic surfaces. However, available wetting theoretical models ignore the effect of vacuum photon-mode alteration on van der Waals forces and thus on hydrophobicity. Using first-principles calculations, we show that superhydrophibicity of nanostructured surfaces is dramatically enhanced by vacuum photon-mode tuning. As a case study, wetting contact angles of a water droplet above a polyethylene nanostructured surface are obtained from the interaction potential energy calculated as a function of the droplet-surface separation distance. This new approach could pave the way for the design of novel superhydrophobic coatings.
authors: Research Center in Physics of Matter and Radiation (PMR), Department of Physics, University of Namur, 61 rue de Bruxelles, B-5000 Namur, Belgium.
authors: Louis
authors: L
authors: Dellieu
authors: Research Center in Physics of Matter and Radiation (PMR), Department of Physics, University of Namur, 61 rue de Bruxelles, B-5000 Namur, Belgium.
authors: Olivier
authors: O
authors: Deparis
authors: Research Center in Physics of Matter and Radiation (PMR), Department of Physics, University of Namur, 61 rue de Bruxelles, B-5000 Namur, Belgium.
authors: Jérôme
authors: J
authors: Muller
authors: Research Center in Physics of Matter and Radiation (PMR), Department of Physics, University of Namur, 61 rue de Bruxelles, B-5000 Namur, Belgium.
authors: Michaël
authors: M
authors: Sarrazin