Sanitation systems and components thereof having a slippery surface

US10450467B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• President and Fellows of Harvard College · US

Inventors

• Joanna Aizenberg · New Providence, US
• Michael Aizenberg · Boston, US
• Sung Hoon Kang · Suwon-si, KR
• Philseok Kim · Waltham, US
• Tak-Sing Wong · State College, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 25, 2018
• Grant date: Oct 22, 2019
• Expiry date: Jan 25, 2038

Classification

• Technology area (CPC —): General

Abstract

The present disclosure describes a strategy to create self-healing, slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces. Roughened (e.g., porous) surfaces can be utilized to lock in place a lubricating fluid, referred to herein as Liquid B to repel a wide range of materials, referred to herein as Object A (Solid A or Liquid A). Slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces outperforms other conventional surfaces in its capability to repel various simple and complex liquids (water, hydrocarbons, crude oil and blood), maintain low-contact-angle hysteresis (<2.5°), quickly restore liquid-repellency after physical damage (within 0.1-1 s), resist ice, microorganisms and insects adhesion, and function at high pressures (up to at least 690 atm). Some exemplary application where slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces will be useful include energy-efficient fluid handling and transportation, optical sensing, medicine, and as self-cleaning, and anti-fouling materials operating in extreme environments.