To enhance optoelectronic devices with transparent heaters, studying droplet evaporation characteristics and surface wettability control is crucial. Researchers have coated an optically transparent, hydrophobic amorphous fluoropolymer, Cytop, onto a nano-thick copper (Cu) micromesh-based transparent conductor. This combination demonstrates high durability for transparent heaters, with a transmittance of 81.6% at 550 nm and a sheet resistance of 5 Ω sq–1. The addition of an ∼80 nm thick Cytop layer improves the thermal and chemical stability of the Cu micromesh-based heater without degrading performance. The evaporation time of water droplets on this hydrophobic surface is significantly delayed (by about 60–130%) compared to hydrophilic surfaces, due to a lower average evaporation flux. Furthermore, the hydrophobic heater surface prevents the coffee-ring effect and exhibits excellent icephobic and antifrost properties. These findings will aid in developing practical transparent heaters for self-cleaning smart windows, transparent actuators, chemical and biological sensors, and heating sources. -Scientific Journal cover design by scapiens
[Scientific Journal cover design] Low-Thermal-Budget Fluorite-Structure Ferroelectrics for Future Electronic Device Applications
In article number 2100028, Jiyoung Kim, Si Joon Kim, and their team review key factors involved in developing fluorite-structure ferroelectrics
