Surface Acoustic Wave Mitigation of Precipitate Deposition on a Solid Surface—An Active Self-Cleaning Strategy

We demonstrate the application of a 20 MHz frequency surface acoustic wave (SAW) in a solid substrate to render its surface “self-cleaning”, redirecting the deposition of precipitating mass onto a nearby inert substrate. In our experiment, we confine a solution of poly(methyl methacrylate) polymer and a volatile toluene solvent between two substrates, lithium niobate and glass, at close proximity. We render the glass surface low energy by employing hydrophobic coating. In the absence of SAW excitation, we observe that the evaporation of the solvent yields polymer coating on the higher energy lithium niobate surface, while the glass surface is mostly devoid of polymer deposits. The application of a propagating SAW in the lithium niobate substrate mitigates the deposition of the polymer on its surface. As a response, we observe an increase in the deposition of the polymer precipitates on glass. Above a SAW power threshold, the polymer appears to deposit solely on glass, leaving the surface of the lithium niobate substrate devoid of polymer mass.