We discovered that poly(vinylphenol) (PVPh) possesses an extremely low surface energy (15.7 mJ/m2) after a simple thermal treatment procedure, even lower than that of poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (22.0 mJ/m2) calculated on the basis of the two-liquid geometric method. Infrared analyses indicate that the intermolecular hydrogen bonding of PVPh decreases by converting the hydroxyl group into a free ...

For soft materials with Young’s moduli below 100 kPa, quantifying mechanical and interfacial properties by small scale indentation is challenging because in addition to adhesion and elasticity, surface tension plays a critical role. Until now, microscale contact of very soft materials has only been studied by static experiments under zero external loading. Here we introduce a combination of the...

Dimethylsilanediol is a stable crystalline solid that was described in 1953. As the monomer of an important class of commercial products (poly(dimethylsiloxanes)-silicones, PDMS) and as a simple molecule in its own right (the silicon analog of acetone hydrate), it has been neglected by several fields of fundamental and applied research including the hydrophobization of inorganic oxide surfaces....

Background Inhalation of aerosols of surface active substances is a known risk factor for development of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). A number of small case series are reported with exposure for aerosols from spraycans with textile or leather protecting agents. We report a series of cases with respiratory symptoms in a group of 39 persons exposed to a floor-sealing product, Anti ...

Gels made from soft microscale particles smoothly transition between the fluid and solid states, making them an ideal medium in which to create macroscopic structures with microscopic precision. While tracing out spatial paths with an injection tip, the granular gel fluidizes at the point of injection and then rapidly solidifies, trapping injected material in place. This physical approach to cr...