Thesis (Ph.D.)--Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 156-172).

O presente trabalho envolve a análise experimental do efeito da deposição de nanopartículas por meio da ebulição em piscina na molhabilidade e na textura da superfície. Inicialmente, este estudo apresenta uma análise da literatura sobre métodos de avaliação do ângulo de contato, preparo de nanofluidos, procedimentos de avaliação da rugosidade e possíveis efeitos que a deposição de nanopartículas tem sobre a textura da superfície. Verificou-se para as superfícies recobertas com nanopartículas ângulos de contato próximos a zero e comportamento dinâmico para gotas de água depositadas sobre elas. Desta forma, optou-se por avaliar a molhabilidade qualitativamente através da análise da velocidade de espalhamento de uma gota depositada sobre a superfície recoberta. Caracterizou-se também a massa de nanopartículas depositadas, a morfologia e a rugosidade das superfícies. Efetuou-se o recobrimento das superfícies por meio da ebulição em piscina de nanofluidos a base de água deionizada contendo nanopartículas de Al2O3 (10, 20-30 e 40-80 nm), Cu (25 nm) e SiO2 (15 e 80 nm) para concentrações volumétricas de 0,001, 0,01, 0,1 e 0,5%, submetidos a tempos de ebulição de 15, 30, 45 e 180 minutos em superfícies de alumínio e aço inoxidável. Como resultado final deste estudo concluiu-se que a rugosidade superficial e a molhabilidade se elevam com a deposição das nanopartículas. Além disso, a molhabilidade aumenta com o incremento da área da superfície recoberta com aglomerados. / The present study concerns an investigation on the wettability and the surface texture behavior of flat aluminum and stainless steel plates covered with porous thin-films of nanoparticles obtained through pool boiling of nanofluids. Since the contact angle of the obtained surfaces is small and in many cases the deposited droplet exhibits a dynamic behavior, dynamic top-down analyses of spreading droplets were performed. Evaluations were performed of nanoparticles mass deposition on the sample, surface roughness and micro-structural with an SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy). Experiments were performed for nanofluids containing nanoparticles of Al2O3 (10, 20-30 and 40-80 nm), Cu (25nm) and SiO2 (15 and 80 nm) for volumetric concentrations of 0.001, 0.01, 0.1 and 0.5% for pool boiling time set to 15, 30, 45 and 180 minutes over aluminum and stainless steel plates. As a final result of this study it was found that surface roughness and wettability increase with the deposition of the nanoparticles. In addition, the wettability increases with increasing of the surface area covered with clusters.

O presente trabalho envolve a análise experimental do efeito da deposição de nanopartículas por meio da ebulição em piscina na molhabilidade e na textura da superfície. Inicialmente, este estudo apresenta uma análise da literatura sobre métodos de avaliação do ângulo de contato, preparo de nanofluidos, procedimentos de avaliação da rugosidade e possíveis efeitos que a deposição de nanopartículas tem sobre a textura da superfície. Verificou-se para as superfícies recobertas com nanopartículas ângulos de contato próximos a zero e comportamento dinâmico para gotas de água depositadas sobre elas. Desta forma, optou-se por avaliar a molhabilidade qualitativamente através da análise da velocidade de espalhamento de uma gota depositada sobre a superfície recoberta. Caracterizou-se também a massa de nanopartículas depositadas, a morfologia e a rugosidade das superfícies. Efetuou-se o recobrimento das superfícies por meio da ebulição em piscina de nanofluidos a base de água deionizada contendo nanopartículas de Al2O3 (10, 20-30 e 40-80 nm), Cu (25 nm) e SiO2 (15 e 80 nm) para concentrações volumétricas de 0,001, 0,01, 0,1 e 0,5%, submetidos a tempos de ebulição de 15, 30, 45 e 180 minutos em superfícies de alumínio e aço inoxidável. Como resultado final deste estudo concluiu-se que a rugosidade superficial e a molhabilidade se elevam com a deposição das nanopartículas. Além disso, a molhabilidade aumenta com o incremento da área da superfície recoberta com aglomerados. / The present study concerns an investigation on the wettability and the surface texture behavior of flat aluminum and stainless steel plates covered with porous thin-films of nanoparticles obtained through pool boiling of nanofluids. Since the contact angle of the obtained surfaces is small and in many cases the deposited droplet exhibits a dynamic behavior, dynamic top-down analyses of spreading droplets were performed. Evaluations were performed of nanoparticles mass deposition on the sample, surface roughness and micro-structural with an SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy). Experiments were performed for nanofluids containing nanoparticles of Al2O3 (10, 20-30 and 40-80 nm), Cu (25nm) and SiO2 (15 and 80 nm) for volumetric concentrations of 0.001, 0.01, 0.1 and 0.5% for pool boiling time set to 15, 30, 45 and 180 minutes over aluminum and stainless steel plates. As a final result of this study it was found that surface roughness and wettability increase with the deposition of the nanoparticles. In addition, the wettability increases with increasing of the surface area covered with clusters.

Non-wetting surfaces mainly categorized into superhydrophobic (SHS), lubricant-infused (LIS) and solid-infused surfaces (SIS), by virtue of their superior water repellant properties have wide applications in several energy and environmental systems. In this dissertation, the role of non-wetting surfaces toward the enhancement of condensation effectiveness is analyzed by taking into consideration the tube side and shell side individual interfacial energy transport processes namely, drag reduction, convection heat transfer enhancement, fouling mitigation and dropwise condensation heat transfer. First, an analytical solution is developed for effective slip length and, in turn, drag reduction and friction factor on structured non-wetting surfaces. Secondly, by combining the solution for effective slip length on structured non-wetting surfaces and the fractal characterization of generic multiscale rough surfaces, a theoretical analysis of drag reduction, friction factor, and convection heat transfer enhancement is conducted for scalable non-wetting surfaces. Next, fractal representation of rough surfaces is used to theoretical derive the dropwise condensation heat transfer performance on SHS and novel SIS surfaces. The aspect of dynamic fouling mitigation properties of non-wetting surfaces is explored by conducting systematic experiments. Using Taguchi design of experiments, this work for the first time presents a closed formed relationship of fouling mitigation quantified in terms of asymptotic fouling resistance with Reynolds number, foulant concentration and viscosity of the infusion material that represents the different surface types in a unified manner. Furthermore, it was observed that LIS and SIS offer excellent fouling mitigation compared to SHS and conventional smooth surfaces, however only SIS owing to the presence of solid-like infusion materials is observed to be robust for practical applications. / Doctor of Philosophy / Inspired by the naturally occurring water repellant lotus leaf and pitcher plant, metallic surfaces have undergone engineering modifications to their native wetting properties. By generating roughness features ranging from nanometer to micrometer length scales, subjecting them to low surface energy treatments and by choosing an appropriate water repellant infusion material, the water repellant properties seen on lotus leaf and pitcher plant can be engineered. Such water repellant (non-wetting) surface fabrication methods are widely available in the literature however very few are scalable to surface types (e.g. copper, aluminum etc.), surface size (millimeters to meters) and shape (plain, curved, inside of tubes etc.). In this work, considering scalable fabrication methods such as electrodeposition and chemical etching, a systematic analysis is conducted on enhancement of four interfacial processes that are a part of many industrial applications. First, the extent of water repellency by structured non-wetting surfaces for the flow of fluid (water) quantified in terms of effective slip length of flow is analytically derived. Using this theory and a self-similar (fractal) nature of the more generic rough surface designs, a theoretical analysis into the drag reduction, convection heat transfer enhancement on non-wetting surfaces is conducted. Next, using the fractal nature of the rough superhydrophobic surfaces (SHS) a theoretical investigation into dropwise condensation performance is used to derive bounds on condensation heat transfer enhancement. Through systematic experimental investigations, it is shown that a solid-infused surface (SIS) and lubricant-infused surfaces (LIS) which, respectively, incorporate a polymer and a slippery lubricant in the interstitial region of metallic asperities, exhibit superior dynamic mineral fouling mitigation performance compared to SHS and conventional smooth surfaces. In addition, it is demonstrated that SIS is a far robust and durable choice when compared to LIS for use in the long run.