Surface Science and Technology Group : School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne

Surface Science and Technology Group

Directed by Professor Robert Lamb

Nanomaterials

Functionalising surfaces with unique properties via chemical and physical treatments at the nano-scale.

The research mainly covers three areas:

Superhydrophobic thin films
Fabrication of hydrophobic/superhydrophobic thin films and their application in a wide range of fields including self-cleaning, stain resistance and anti-fouling.
Photocatalytic TiO₂ nanocrystalline particles
Low temperature fabrication of photocatalytic TiO₂ nanocrystalline particles and its application on textiles.
Impact of nanomaterials on the environment
Studying the impact of nanoparticles and nanorods on the environment including the adsorption behaviour onto living micro- and macro-organisms.

Superhydrophobic Thin Films

water droplet on superhydrophobic surface

Surfaces on which the contact angle with water is larger than 150 degrees are commonly referred to as super-hydrophobic. Surface with this particular property presents self-cleaning properties, e.g., non-adhesive towards ice, snow, biological foulants and other unwanted contaminants.

Our research focus is on the fabrication of superhydrophobic surfaces combining novel elements of synthetic organic/inorganic nano-hybrids and advanced physical characterisation. Thin films prepared by packing hydrophobic modified nano-scale particulates provide the surface with extreme roughness. The resulting surface exhibits hydrophobicity with a contact angle reaching 175° and hysteresis less than 10°. The process demonstrates the power of nanotechnology in making unique products in an easier and less expensive way.

Photocatalytic TiO₂ Nanocrystalline Particles

The ability of titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanocrystalline particles to oxidize a wide range of organic compounds under UV irradiation and eventually lead to complete decomposition into H₂O and CO₂ is environmentally friendly and renewable. Our research emphasizes the photocatalytic efficiency of TiO₂ at a solid-solid interface as well as the study of the mechanistic pathways. Potential applications include self-cleaning coatings for textiles.

Impact of Nanomaterials on the Environment

Nanotechnology is still at an early stage of development - the assessment of the potential impact and risk of nanomaterials and devices on the environment is of vital importance for future strategic and regulatory implications, yet little knowledge has been learnt in this regard.

Research on this area is focused on the following two aspects:

investigation into the mechanistic pathway of how a clean nanomaterial surface becomes contaminated by toxic substances and to understand the dominant factors (size, shape or chemical nature) that contribute to the process;
assays on micro- and macro-organisms such as barnacles and their response to the contaminated nanomaterials during the process of nanomaterial release into the environment.

Research Groups