Figure 3

Influence of nanohair length, incubation time and flow rate on the adhesion of mineral crystals. (a) In a dynamic state, the crystal adhesion ratios (CARs) significantly reduced with increasing nanohair lengths. (b) With the incubation time increasing from 12 to 96 h, the amount of crystals adhered onto the flat hydrogel coatings is always greater than that on the nanohair hydrogel coatings (51.0±3.8 μm) in a dynamic state (that is, a flow rate of 24 cm min⁻¹), revealing the excellent anti-adhesion property of nanohair hydrogel coatings. (c) In a static state, before 48 h of incubation, the crystals adhered on nanohair the hydrogel coatings are slightly less than those on flat hydrogel coatings. After 48 h of incubation, the amount of crystals adhered onto both coatings is similar, suggesting that nanohair hydrogel coatings nearly lose their efficient anti-adhesion property in a static state. (d) With mineral solution at flow rates varying from 24 to 717 cm min⁻¹, the nanohair hydrogel coatings always display a more efficient anti-adhesion property than the flat ones, even at a low flow rate (that is, 24 cm min⁻¹). The numerical simulation shows the distributions of velocity in the y direction on (e) nanohair and (f) flat surfaces. Error bars: standard deviation (n=3).