INS2-0076
Superhydrophobic and Water-Repellent Coatings based on Waterborne MXene Nanocomposites for Antimicrobial Applications
Topic
S2. High-End Characterization/Polymer Physics/Properties
When and Where
Sep 29, 2026
16:40 - 17:05
Room 103
Session Chairs
Joe PATTERSON
Presenter(s)
Spiros Anastasiadis (Foundation for Research & Technology-Hellas and Univ. of Crete)
Co-Author(s)
Abstract
The development of antifouling and antimicrobial surfaces that would prevent the transfer of bacteria has gained the scientific interest during the recent years. In this work, polymer nanocomposite coatings are developed to provide surfaces with antifouling and antimicrobial properties on frequently used surfaces in everyday life. This was achieved via deposition of waterborne nanocomposite coatings that contain the appropriate hydrophobic polymeric matrix and nano-additives, which provide the appropriate hierarchical roughness. While traditional methods typically employ 0D nanoparticles to achieve surface nano-structuring, the flake-like structure of Ti₃C₂Tₓ MXenes introduces roughness that extends into the micron-scale. Different smooth substrates were coated by a one-step spraying process and the surface properties were investigated as a function of the additive content. Moreover, ternary nanocomposite coatings were developed with MXenes and alumina nanoparticles by a single-step spraying of an aqueous suspension. This combination results in hierarchical surface structures (with micrometer- and nanometer-scale roughness), achieving excellent water repellence with significantly lower additive concentration than the one needed when single-type of nanoadditives were used. Due to the low Ti₃C₂Tₓ MXene content, the use of our approach extends beyond dark-colored applications, even in cases where the aesthetic result is critical. The nanohybrid coated surfaces exhibited
