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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: EP/C509161/1
Title: Extreme Soil Water Repellency
Principal Investigator: Pyatt, Professor FB
Other Investigators:
McHale, Professor G Newton, Dr MI
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Dr NJ Shirtcliffe
Project Partners:
Department: School of Science & Technology
Organisation: Nottingham Trent University
Scheme: Postdoctoral Mobility PreFEC
Starts: 01 October 2004 Ends: 30 September 2005 Value (£): 63,009
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Ground Engineering Materials Characterisation
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
No relevance to Underpinning Sectors
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
Chemically a surface can be hydrophobic or hydrophilic. The most water repellent that can be achieved purely by the surface chemistry is a contact angle for a water drop in the range 115-120 degrees; this occurs for methyl or fluorine terminated surface functional groups. Super-hydrophobicity is when a water drop in contact with a solid surface in air has a contact angle in excess of 150 degrees. In a more restrictive definition, the surface should also possess a low contact angle hysteresis so that the drop may roll-off the surface with ease. To achieve these high contact angles surfaces are made rough or topographically structured and combined with a hydrophobic surface chemistry. Porous materials can also be created such that they are super-hydrophobic. One problem within soil science is in understanding the occurrence of naturally extreme soil water repellency, which hinders plant growth and which leads to enhanced erosion due to run-off. Soil is a porous-type material and it is known that grains of soil can become coated in a hydrophobic layer either from the decay of organic matter or from environmental contamination. In this postdoctoral mobility proposal, concepts of super-hydrophobicity will be applied to soil science; no such work currently exists internationally.
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Further Information:  
Organisation Website: http://www.ntu.ac.uk