Surface and interfacial phenomena as a research area encompass the study of physical, chemical, and physicochemical processes occurring at phase boundaries, including solid–liquid, solid–gas, liquid–gas, and liquid–liquid interfaces. This field investigates adsorption, wetting, adhesion, capillarity, surface tension, interfacial rheology, and related equilibrium and non-equilibrium behaviors. It integrates thermodynamics, statistical mechanics, spectroscopy, microscopy, and simulation to elucidate structure–property relationships at interfaces. Research in this area underpins advances in catalysis, colloid and dispersion stability, electrochemistry, nanomaterials, biomembranes, microfluidics, and advanced coatings, with emphasis on how interfacial structure, composition, and energetics govern macroscopic material performance and functionality.
In the quest for next-generation energy, sensing, and pigment technologies, semiconducting metal oxides like titanium dioxide (TiO₂) have emerged as essential materials due to their abundance, stability, and intriguing photophysical ...
Researchers have developed a new material that, by harnessing the power of sunlight, can clear water of dangerous pollutants. Created through a combination of soft chemistry gels and electrospinning—a technique where electrical ...
Bio & Medicine
Mar 24, 2025
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483
When University of Texas at Dallas researchers tested a new surface that they designed to collect and remove condensates rapidly, the results surprised them. The mechanical engineers' design collected more condensates, or ...
Condensed Matter
Mar 24, 2025
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54
When a droplet of water falls on a hot pan, it dances across the surface, skimming on a thin layer of steam like a tiny hovercraft; this is known as the Leidenfrost effect. But now, researchers know what happens when a hot ...
Soft Matter
Mar 3, 2025
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71
The quantum rules shaping molecular collisions are now coming into focus, offering fresh insights for chemistry and materials science. When molecules collide with surfaces, a complex exchange of energy takes place between ...
Quantum Physics
Feb 27, 2025
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125
A technological advancement from Tel Aviv University has, for the first time, enabled the application of the scientific phenomenon of superlubricity in electronic components. As a result, the research team successfully harnessed ...
Nanophysics
Feb 24, 2025
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68
Water-based adhesives face several challenges despite their environmental benefits. One major issue is that achieving high adhesion strength on various substrates, especially in wet or humid conditions, is difficult due to ...
Nanomaterials
Feb 20, 2025
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31
For centuries, static electricity has been the subject of intrigue and scientific investigation. Now, researchers from the Waitukaitis group at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) have uncovered a vital ...
Condensed Matter
Feb 19, 2025
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318
Scientists are racing to develop new materials for quantum technologies in computing and sensing for ultraprecise measurements. For these future technologies to transition from the laboratory to real-world applications, a ...
Condensed Matter
Feb 18, 2025
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105
Finding the right lubricant for the right purpose is a task that is often extremely important in industry. Not only to reduce friction, overheating and wear, but also to save energy. At TU Wien, the research groups of Prof ...
Nanomaterials
Feb 18, 2025
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70
