SURFACE

ENGINEERING of
MATERIALS
MSE 3131
Lecture 35-36 (Surface -
Interface Phenomena and
Biomimetics)

Asrafuzzaman
Lecturer, Department of MSE,
RUET, Rajshahi.
Interface of Materials
• When phases exist together, the boundary between two of them is
known as an interface
• The properties of the molecules forming the interface are often
sufficiently different from those in the bulk of each phase
• The interface or surface is represented by separating the bulk phases
by a hyphen or a slash. For example, the interface between a solid and
a gas may be represented by solid-gas or solid/gas
•Due to complete miscibility, there is no interface between the gases
• Many important phenomena, noticeable amongst these being
corrosion, electrode processes, heterogeneous catalysis, dissolution
and crystallisation occur at interfaces
Adsorption
•Adsorption is essentially a surface phenomenon. Solids, particularly in finely
divided state, have large surface area and therefore, charcoal, silica gel, alumina
gel, clay, colloids, metals in finely divided state, etc. act as good adsorbents
 Adsorption in action
(i) If a gas like O2, H2, CO, Cl2, NH3 or SO2 is taken in a closed vessel containing
powdered charcoal, it is observed that the pressure of the gas in the enclosed
vessel decreases. The gas molecules concentrate at the surface of the charcoal, i.e.,
gases are adsorbed at the surface
(ii) In a solution of an organic dye, say methylene blue, when animal charcoal is
added and the solution is well shaken, it is observed that the filtrate turns
colourless. The molecules of the dye, thus, accumulate on the surface of charcoal,
i.e., are adsorbed
(iii)Aqueous solution of raw sugar, when passed over beds of animal charcoal,
becomes colourless as the colouring substances are adsorbed by the charcoal
(iv)The air becomes dry in the presence of silica gel because the water molecules
get adsorbed on the surface of the gel
Terminology in Surface Science
•There are several terminologies for surface phenomena:
1. Adsorbate – the substance which gets adsorbed into any surface
2. Adsorbent – The substance of the surface on which adsorption takes place
3. Adsorption – the process by which substances (atoms/molecules) get
attached to surface chemically
4. Absorption – the physical or chemical phenomenon or a process in which
atoms, molecules or ions enter some bulk phase – liquid or solid material
5. Desorption – the removal of adsorbed substances from surface
6. Sorption – the phenomena where adsorption and absorption takes place
simultaneously
 Absorption Adsorption
It is a bulk phenomenon It is a surface phenomenon

Quite slow process Very fast process

Substance is uniformly distributed throughout Higher concentration of molecular species on

the bulk and surface the surface than on the bulk
Attainment of equilibrium takes time Attainment of equilibrium occurs easily

Endothermic process Exothermic process

Not affected by temperature Affected by temperature

Example – water vapor absorbed by anhydrous Example – water vapor adsorbed by silica gel
CaCl2
Physical Adsorption/Physisorption Chemical Adsorption/Chemisorption

Caused by intermolecular van der waal’s bond Caused by chemical bond (covalent, ionic)

Reversible Irreversible

Multimolecular layers are formed on surface Unimolecular layer is formed

Heat of adsorption is less Heat of adsorption is large

No activation energy required High activation energy required

Occurs at low temperature Increasing temperature increases adsorption

FACTORS AFFECTING THE EXTENT OF ADSORPTION
1. Nature of Adsorbent
• The adsorption depends on the type of adsorbents used. When the adsorbent is
highly porous the rate of adsorption increases. Activated carbon, metal oxides like
aluminum oxide, silica gel and clay are commonly used adsorbents
• During activation, the adsorbent is heated in steam to about 1500°C. Heating drives
out all impurities and leads to a impurity free surface for adsorption. It can be done
in 3 given ways
• By making the surface of adsorbent rough
• By heating the adsorbent in vacuum so that the water vapor present in
pores leave those pores
• By increasing the surface area of adsorbent
2. Surface area of adsorbent
• Greater the surface area greater the adsorption Increase in surface area increases
the number of adsorbing sites. Larger the porosity greater the adsorptionFinely
divided and highly porous materials acts as good adsorbents i.e. charcoal, silica gel
3. Nature of Gases
• The amount of gas adsorbed by a solid depends on the nature of the gas. Easily
liquefiable gases like NH3, CI2, SO2 etc., are adsorbed more easily then the
permanent gases like H2, N2, and O2 etc.
4. Pressure
• When pressure is increased then the rate of adsorption increases initially. The
extent of adsorption is expressed as x/m where ‘x’ is amount of adsorbate; ‘m’ is
mass of adsorbent when the dynamic equilibrium is established between free
gas and the adsorbed gas. But after some time it reaches appoint where no more
adsorption occurs and at this point adsorption is independent of pressure
5. Exothermic Nature
• Heat of adsorption is defined as the energy liberated when 1 g mol of a gas is
adsorbed on a solid surface. Increase in temperature increases the kinetic energy
of the gas molecules and it results in more number of collisions of gas molecules
over the adsorbent surface
Green Tribology and Biomimetics
• Green tribology is defined as the science and technology of the tribological
aspects which provide ecological balance and minimize environmental and
biological impacts
• Environmentally friendly tribological components, materials and surfaces
can be fabricated by mimicking nature, a field referred to as biomimetics
• Biomimetics means mimicking biology or living nature. Biomimetics allows
biologically inspired design, adaptation, or derivation from nature
• The word biomimetics was coined by the polymath Otto Schmitt in 1957,
who, in his doctoral research, developed a physical device that mimicked the
electrical action of a nerve
• The objective of biomimetics research is to develop biologically inspired
materials and surfaces of commercial interest
Biomimetics is highly interdisciplinary
Approaches for Biomimetic Engineering
 Lesson from Nature
 The understanding of the functions provided by objects and processes
found in nature can guide us to design and produce
nanomaterials, nanodevices, and processes

 There are a large number of objects, including bacteria, plants, land and
aquatic animals, and seashells with properties of commercial interest

Some leaves of water repellent plants, such as Nelumbo nucifera (Lotus), are
known to be superhydrophobic, selfcleaning, and antifouling, due to their
hierarchical roughness (microbumps superimposed with a nanostructure)
and the presence of a hydrophobic wax coating (Lotus Effect). Application –
on Ship hull! Hydrophobic suit for marine uses!
 Ruellia devosiana (Brazilian Petunia) has an outstanding water spreading property; water
film can run up the leaves against gravity. Such superhydrophilic properties enable a self-
cleaning ability. Superhydrophilic surfaces can be induced by a photocatalyst based on
natural photosynthesis with sunlight and water. when exposed to light, titanium oxide
(TiO2) reacts with water in the air, producing a hydrophilic group (–HO) layer that blends
easily with water on the surface. also produces electrons and holes. These react with
oxygen and water in the air and produce activated oxygen and hydroxyl radicals (O2, OH),
which decompose various organic substances and bacteria
Water striders (Gerris remigis) have the ability to stand and walk upon a
water surface without getting wet. special hierarchical structure of the
water strider’s legs, which are covered by large numbers of oriented tiny
hairs with fine nanogrooves and covered with cuticle wax, makes the leg
surfaces superhydrophobic, is responsible for the water resistance, and
enables them to stand and walk quickly on the water surface.
A gecko is the largest animal that can produce high (dry) adhesion to support
its weight with a high factor of safety. Gecko skin is comprised of a complex
hierarchical structure of lamellae, setae, branches, and spatula.
Shark skin which is a model from nature for a low drag surface, is covered by very small
individual toothlike scales called dermal denticles (little skin teeth), ribbed with
longitudinal grooves. The spacing between these dermal denticles is such that microscopic
aquatic organisms have difficulty adhering to the surface, making the skin surface
antifouling and Hydrodynamic drag resistant.
Spider-web is a structure built of a one-dimensional fiber. The fiber is very
strong and continuous and is insoluble in water. The web can hold a significant
amount of water droplets, and it is resistant to rain, wind, and sunlight.
Exceptional example of biomimicry in architechture!
The eyes of moths are antireflective to visible light and consist of hundreds of
hexagonally organized nanoscopic pillars which result in a very low reflectance
for visible light. Application – Sensor technology, Laser scanner
Velcro from burrs plants! Simple design of tiny hooks at the end of the burr’s
spines made them able to catch anything with a loop, such as fur and fabric
The African Namib Desert Beetle (Water harvester) collects water by
condensing fog into water droplets in the bumps on its shell. As water
repellent ridges line the bumps, they progressively direct a channel of water
toward the beetle’s head so it can drink. Inspired by this, researchers from the
MIT replicated this structure with glass and plastic. Their purpose building
cooling devices, or use in cleaning up toxic spills
Think. Grow. Prosper.
Watch documentaries. Take a course.
Listen to podcasts. If you have a
question, google it. When something
sparks your interest, read about it. Go
experience it for yourself. Study, learn,
stimulate your brain. Don’t just rely on
the school system or what others say.
Educate that beautiful mind of yours.

Thank You!