liquidrepelling

Liquidrepelling refers to surfaces engineered to resist wetting by liquids. Such surfaces cause liquids to bead up and often roll off, reducing adhesion between the liquid and the solid. The term encompasses hydrophobic, oleophobic, and omniphobic behavior and is often quantified by the static contact angle, contact angle hysteresis, and the rolling or sliding angle. Superhydrophobic surfaces typically show water contact angles above 150 degrees with low hysteresis, a result of low surface energy together with micro- and nano-scale roughness that traps air and minimizes liquid-solid contact.

Mechanisms rely on chemical composition that lowers surface energy and physical textures that create roughness. The Cassie-Baxter model describes liquids resting on air pockets over rough surfaces, while the Wenzel model covers complete wetting of rough textures. Some designs incorporate a lubricating liquid to fill pores, creating a slippery liquid-infused porous surface that reduces friction and can resist a broad range of liquids.

Materials and methods include fluorinated polymers and silanes, inorganic coatings, and engineered textures with hierarchical micro- and nanoscale structures. Surfaces designed to repel many liquids—sometimes called omniphobic—face challenges in durability, especially under abrasion, cleaning, and environmental exposure, and in balancing repellency with other properties like optical clarity or breathability.

Applications span stain-resistant textiles, easy-to-clean architectural and automotive coatings, cookware, medical devices, and lab or microfluidic devices where droplets are moved or prevented from sticking. Liquidrepellent surfaces illustrate how interfacial science combines chemistry and texture to minimize wetting and fouling.