Surface Engineering of Functional Materials

The control of surface properties is a key feature for the development of advanced materials across environmental, industrial, and biomedical applications. In particular, tailoring interfacial interactions allows us to gain control over phenomena such as wetting and adhesion, which are central to applications ranging from anti-icing systems to antibacterial surfaces. This lecture will introduce the fundamental principles underlying surface wettability, highlighting how surface chemistry and morphology, influence liquid–solid interactions. Both quasi-static and dynamic approaches to contact angle characterization will be discussed as essential tools to probe wetting phenomena1. Special attention will be given to the complex interface phenomena of ice adhesion. Understanding this process is critical for the rational design of materials capable of assisting deicing strategies and facilitating ice removal, as well as for advancing fundamental knowledge of icing2. Within this framework, the lecture will also address the emerging role of sustainable materials, with a focus on polysaccharide-based systems. These biopolymers offer unique opportunities due to their chemical versatility, biocompatibility, and ability to interact strongly with water, enabling the design of functional coatings with tunable wetting and anti-icing properties. Their interaction with water, especially under freezing conditions, represents a complex and interdisciplinary problem bridging chemistry, physics, and materials science3. Finally, the integration of surface characterization techniques with bio-based material design will be presented as a pathway toward sustainable, high-performance functional surfaces, with applications spanning energy systems, environmental technologies, and biomedical devices.