Lowell, MA — March 20, 2025: Florence Acha, a rising researcher in the Department of Plastics Engineering at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, is gaining attention in the field of surface science for her groundbreaking contributions to the design of next generation superhydrophobic materials(surfaces that repel water with remarkable efficiency).
Her recent co-authored publication in Biomimetics, titled “Tuning Wetting Properties Through Surface Geometry in the Cassie–Baxter State,” highlights her growing influence in the study of wetting behavior, micro-structured surfaces, and biomimetic coatings. Working alongside Talya Scheff, Nathalia Diaz Armas, Prof. Joey L. Mead, and lead investigator Dr. JindeZhang, Florence played a key role in the experimental development, characterization, and interpretation of micro-patterned surfaces.
Shaping the Future of Water-Repellent Surfaces
Florence’s work centers on understanding how micro-scale geometric features can be engineered to influence extreme water repellency. Her contributions were essential to creating and analyzing highly specialized silicon micro-post surfaces produced through advanced photolithography and deep reactive-ion etching.
By systematically varying solid fraction, spacing, and micro-post geometry, Florence helped generate one of the clearest datasets to date on how surface design governs static, dynamic, and sliding contact angles in the Cassie–Baxter regime. The findings show that solid fraction overwhelmingly controls superhydrophobic behavior.
The study challenges widespread assumptions about the role of post shape (square vs. circular) and arrangement (square vs. hexagonal), revealing that these parameters exert far less influence than previously believed. Florence’s precision in experimental design and wetting characterization contributed directly to these insights.
Why Florence’s Work Is Gaining Attention
Superhydrophobic materials are critical to developing the next wave of smart coatings producing self-cleaning windows, anti-corrosion surfaces, anti-icing aerospace materials, and low-drag marine structures. Yet, progress has been slowed by limited clarity on how microstructure affects wetting behavior.
Florence’s research helps close this knowledge gap by demonstrating that solid fraction (the amount of solid surface in contact with a water droplet) is the dominant determinant of water repellency, while also providing clear experimental evidence that simplifies how engineers design micro-textured surfaces. Her work shows the key limitations of the classical Cassie–Baxter model, particularly for predicting advancing contact angles, and opens pathways for more predictive, cost-efficient strategies in surface engineering.
Her ability to connect micro-scale surface design to real-world performance needs has positioned her as a promising contributor to the field of functional coatings. Her attention to detail and rigorous characterization work were major strengths of this study. The research work is being talked about is it debunks common assumptions and provides engineers with actionable data on how to fine-tune surface designs to maximize superhydrophobicity.
Potential to Transform the Field
The implications of Florence’s contributions extend beyond academic curiosity. The insights from this work are expected to accelerate innovations in PFAS-free repellent coatings, durable self-cleaning and anti-fouling materials, biomimetic surface architectures. The findings can streamline the design of next-generation coatings that require fewer complex surface modifications while achieving superior performance. Moreover, the research challenges the predictive power of the widely used Cassie–Baxter model, especially regarding advancing contact angles, opening new avenues for refining theoretical models in surface science.
Her participation in the project reflects her dedication to creating sustainable, high-performance surfaces that reduce reliance on environmentally harmful chemistries. With a growing portfolio of research spanning superhydrophobicity, nanomanufacturing, and advanced coating technologies, Florence is emerging as a key voice in the next generation of materials scientists.
Beyond industrial applications, the work’s findings could influence biomimetic design materials that mimic natural surfaces like lotus leaves or insect wings known for their superhydrophobic traits. The research represents a major step forward in biomaterials engineering, and with this new understanding, scientists are better equipped to design more efficient, sustainable, and resilient products.
The work contributes to a deeper understanding of nature-inspired surface engineering and helps bridge the gap between fundamental science and practical, scalable applications.”
The publication has drawn discussion at major materials science and polymer engineering conferences and is expected to influence both academic research and industrial product development.
The full article appears in the January 2025 issue of Biomimetics.
