University of Twente Student Theses
Characterisation of natural epicuticular wax
Hornsveld, Norah (2014) Characterisation of natural epicuticular wax.
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| Abstract: | The micro- and nanostructure of hydrophobic leaf surfaces, and in particular the leaves of Euphorbia myrsinites are examined. The leaves are characterised in terms of surface topography and wettability. The surface of the E. myrsinites leaves consist of papillae in the microscale with superimposed epicuticular wax platelets in the nanoscale. The hierarchical surface structure ensures superhydrophobicity of the leaf surface. Within the realm of surface science, the epicuticular wax is of main interest, because of the possibility to recrystallise on a silicon wafer. To obtain a nanostructured surface, a thick layer of wax was needed. It is expected, that this is caused by the influence of the substrate on was. With the recrystallisation, a very hydrophorbic surface with a static contact angle of -155 is obtained. This extremeley high contact anlge partially occurs due to multiscale roughness caused by an uneven wax distribution on the substrate. The experiments are carried out with use of optical microscopy, atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, helium ion microscopy, gas chromatography and contact angle goniometry |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | TNW: Science and Technology |
| Subject: | 33 physics |
| Programme: | Applied Physics MSc (60436) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/65872 |
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