In materials science, surfaces that strongly repel low surface tension liquids are classified 'superoleophobic," while high surface tension liquid repellants are 'superhydrophobic' and surfaces that display both characteristics are 'superomniphobic." Superomniphobic surfaces are at the frontiers of surface design for a vast array of applications. In a recent study, J. R. Panter and co-workers at the Department of Physics and Procter and Gamble Co. in the U.K. and the U.S. developed computational methods to systematically develop three key surface wetting properties. These included contact angle hysteresis, critical pressure and a minimum energy wetting barrier. In the study, the scientists developed quantitative models and corrected inaccurate assumptions within existing models.
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