PROJECT OBJECTIVES:
- Develop a dual self-assembly/UV printing process to create patterned large-area, bioinspired surfaces.
- Obtain bioinspired coatings from biobased precursors (academic secondment).
- Obtain unique wettability behaviour, including the reversible change of this property, combined mechanical durability (hardness, wear resistance) and functional performance (self-cleaning ‘lotus’, antireflective ‘moth-eye’).
- Develop technology demonstrators of selected surfaces, together with their detailed life-cycle costing and assessment.
- Obtain one technology demonstrator with better sustainability than the selected benchmark.
EXPECTED RESULTS:
- Protocol of new dual-process based on a combination of self-assembly and UV printing.
- Process for large area (>100 cm2) self-cleaning and antireflective coatings with superior durability.
- Prototype of a biobased functional coating.
- Setting of an appropriate sustainability metrics and comprehensive life cycle costing and sustainability assessment of the production of functional surfaces.
- Trained researcher expert on UV printing of functional surfaces with expertise on biobased materials, also acquired during secondments.
PLANNED SECONDMENTS:
- Host 1: UM (FR), supervisor: C. Joly-Duhamel, timing: month 23, length: 6 months. Purpose: preparation of biobased photocurable formulations, and study of their photocuring kinetics with spectroscopic methods.
- Host 2: ADLER (AT), supervisor: A. Rössler, timing: month 36, length: 3 months. Purpose: characterisation of technically relevant properties (mechanical robustness) of polymers with smart surfaces.
*Enrolment in Doctoral degree: at EPFL. Dr. Y. Leterrier will act as supervisor, and Prof. V. Michaud as co-supervisor.