Hydrophobicity During Sunset
Alice Mo (graduate student)
2026
Department
Mechanical Engineering
Lab:
| A single droplet rests on a conductive polymer film as the sunset glows over the UCSB library in the background. Its nearly perfect spherical shape is not accidental but the visible result of molecular forces balancing in real time. The engineered surface repels water, creating a high contact angle that allows the droplet to bead rather than spread. The droplet becomes a living diagram of surface science and intermolecular interactions. Beyond simply repelling water, the film beneath the droplet carries electrical signals and responds to the environment. The film is made with polyaniline, a conductive polymer, and can carry electrical signals while remaining flexible and lightweight. Conductive polymers form the foundation of wearable sensors, flexible electronics, solar cells, and emerging biomedical devices that must move with the human body. The same surface that refuses this droplet can transmit information, harvest energy, and respond to its surroundings. As the droplet reflects the fading light and the silhouette of the library, it mirrors how nature uses hydrophobic surfaces to control water while connecting the simplicity of a droplet to the complexity of natural and engineered surfaces. |
