Roll-to-Roll Assisted Polymerization (RRP) Process for Printing Large-scale Micropatterned Surfaces with Multifunctional Properties

Advances in engineering and texturing of surfaces to endow lubrication, insulation, moisture-repellence, and anti-fouling capabilities hold transformative potential for water desalination, aircraft drag reduction, self-cleaning textiles, targeted drug delivery, and other applications that profoundly impact daily life and the global economy. However, manufacturing of such surfaces relies on templating techniques that are time-, resource, and labor-intensive, or methods that have severe limitation on the structures and capabilities that can be produced. The award supports research to investigate a novel roll-to-roll assisted polymerization (RRP) process that can address the current limitations and significantly increase the efficiency of the methods to synthesize large-scale surfaces engineered to yield multifunctional properties. The outcome of the research will be integrated into the three graduate and undergraduate courses in manufacturing and data assimilation. This project involves experimental and modeling studies to elucidate the underlying process-structure-property relations and thereby establish scientific foundations for controlling the microstructures formed during the RRP process. The project will explore three components: (1) use of the light patterns generated by dynamic mask images along the projection plane to drive microstructure formation, allowing faster production of customized structures along multiple scales and dimensions, (2) exploit magnetic guiding of filler orientation to enhance mechanical strength and long-term endurance of engineered surfaces, and (3) tailor surface micropatterns to enhance surface performance in terms of mechanical, optical and hydrodynamic properties, enabling multifunctional capabilities. Outcomes from this project will inform the design of next-generation surface materials for applications across many industry sectors. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.