Technology Available for Licensing

Case 14358

Superhydrophobic Surface Formation by Crystallization of Polycarbonate

Keywords:

Superhydrophobic surface, polycarbonate crystallization

Applications:

Large range of manufacturing, industrial, agricultural and household applications.

Problem:

Many surface applications require superhydrophobicity for better performance.

Technology:

Superhydrophobic surfaces possess many beneficial properties, such as self-cleaning and water-repellency. These properties make them useful in a large range of manufacturing, industrial, agricultural, and household applications. In this invention, superhydrophic polycarbonate (including polycarbonate sheets and particles) were prepared by acetone treatment. Acetone modifies polycarbonate to micro- and nano-level spherulitic structure. The spherulitic structure produced surface roughness and resulted in surfaces exhibiting superhydrophobic properties.

Advantages:

Acetone treatment greatly increases the crystallization of superhydrophobic polycarbonate.

Inventors:

• Professor Kripa K Varanasi (Department of Mechanical Engineering, MIT)
• Yuehua Cui (Department of Mechanical Engineering, MIT)
• Adam T Paxson (Department of Mechanical Engineering, MIT)
• Katherine M Smyth (Department of Mechanical Engineering, MIT)

Intellectual Property:

US Patent Application 12/960611 filed on December 6, 2010

Publications:

N/A

Please contact: Christopher R. Noble MIT Technology Licensing Officer 1 Cambridge Center, Kendall Square, NE18-501 Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142-1601

Email: crn@mit.edu Tel: 617-253-6966 Fax: 617–258-6790 Website: http://tlo.mit.edu