Interfacial Interactions Between Oil and Surfaces

During an oil spill, oil droplets have the potential to spread on a variety of marine surfaces which may be harmful to living organisms. Biological surfaces represent a range of surface structures and chemistries, both of which affect their interactions with oil droplets. Contact angle measurement represents a method of taking both of these factors into account through measurement of the overall surface activity, and the Cassie-Baxter approximation allows one to model them. In this study, we aim to quantify the interaction of oil with various surfaces, first on flat surfaces of varying wetting properties and then with the added contribution from surface structure. By understanding the type and magnitude of these interactions, our aim is to develop novel oil dispersants (which can be used during an oil spill) that prevent oil droplets from adhering to or contaminating marine life.