| EPSRC Reference: |
EP/C509161/1 |
| Title: |
Extreme Soil Water Repellency |
| Principal Investigator: |
Pyatt, Professor FB |
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| Department: |
School of Science & Technology |
| Organisation: |
Nottingham Trent University |
| Scheme: |
Postdoctoral Mobility PreFEC |
| Starts: |
01 October 2004 |
Ends: |
30 September 2005 |
Value (£): |
63,009
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| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
| Ground Engineering |
Materials Characterisation |
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| EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
| No relevance to Underpinning Sectors |
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
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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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Key Findings |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
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| Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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| Project URL: |
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| Further Information: |
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| Organisation Website: |
http://www.ntu.ac.uk |