NETO Research Group

We study spreading and flow of liquid at interfaces

Our area of research is physical chemistry of interfaces, a multi-disciplinary field spanning the traditional disciplines of chemistry, physics, materials science and bio-engineering. In particular, we focus on phenomena that occur when liquids are confined on the nano-scale, such as in nanothin layers or in flow in microfluidic chips, and on designing surfaces that have advanced functional properties, such as self-cleaning, anti-fouling and drag-reducing properties. We are interested both in understanding fundamental physico-chemical mechanisms and in their application in bio- and nano-technology. Our current research revolves around five principal themes:

• Nanotextured surfaces with anti-fouling and drag-reducing properties
• Liquid-like PDMS nanothin layers with ultra-low droplet friction
• Gas enrichment at liquid-liquid interfaces
• Advanced capture of water from the atmosphere
• Advanced additives for superior paint coatings

The applications for our research themes are diverse, and we partner with industrial collaborators locally and internationally on various projects. Our current projects in collaboration with industry are listed below:

• Harvesting water from air without moving parts with our recently spun-out startup Dewpoint Ltd. (Founded 2022)
• Antifouling properties of structured surfaces with MicroTau Pty Ltd (Defence Innovation Networks grants, 2018-2019)
• Advanced additives for paint with Dulux Australia (funded by multiple Australian Research Council Linkage projects, 2011 – present)