Investigation of the minimization of dust particles on surfaces

The collection of microscopic particles of materials is simply known as "dust." There are many sizes of dust particles, including coarse (non-inhalable), fine (inhalable), and very fine (respirable). Pollen, germs, smoke, ash, sea salt crystals, and tiny pieces of rock and dirt, including sand can all be found in dust and may contain both human and animal skin cells, pollutant as well as hair. We can observe dust particles moving through the atmosphere when it is windy outside. Dust storms are large concentrations of dust that are carried by powerful winds across the atmosphere. Dust storms typically develop on arid, open Terrain.

Dust in the air degrades visibility and the quality of the air, and it also has the potential to be harmful to our health, especially if someone already has breathing issues.

The process of dust adhesion occurs when dust particles are drawn to a surface by physical forces such as "diffusion, mechanical engagement, or electrostatic attraction." Industrial problems are brought on by environmental dust and dust mixed with other substances. These problems range in seriousness, but they should not be ignored because they could get worse. Additionally, these are the most typical problems with dust adherence. Researchers are looking into different substances and chemical treatments that effectively prevent dust from sticking to a certain surface. The adherence of dust to hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces under sonic and vibrational excitations has been studied in numerous academic investigations.

First off, due to the up to 47% reduction in adhesion forces caused by hydrophobic surface dust, dust particles might be rejected depending on their size. Although the size distribution of dust particles varies, on average, a dust particle is roughly 1.2 μm in size. This outcome was shown using a 64 Hz sonic excitation frequency.

Furthermore, it has been shown that, with the appropriate choice of frequency and excitation distance, sonic stimulation aids in dust mitigation. This has been made possible by detecting the vertical and horizontal displacement of dust particles while they are in flight. Due to the low inertia force of the dust particles, for instance, when the excitation is adjusted for a frequency of 75 Hz, dust can be repelled off surfaces from a greater distance. As a result, there were surprisingly few dust residues left on hydrophobic surfaces; however, inclined surfaces are where it works best.

Sharp edges on a micrograph of dust residue revealed under the microscope indicate that it is more likely to attach to coated surfaces. Additionally, the residues tend to bundle, preventing vibrational excitation's repelling effect. However, it has been shown that in the case of vibrational excitation, using a frequency of 30 Hz is effective for repelling dust particles on both hydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces.

Additionally, the angle inclination increases the dust's ability to be repelled. The findings indicate that dust particles are more repelled by hydrophobic surfaces than by hydrophilic surfaces in terms of adhesion force. This decreases the velocity of dust clusters by making hydrophilic surfaces more attractive for adhesion.

A different study examined the levels of adhesion of ambient dust to various surfaces. A modified chemical solution was combined with the dust particles, and glass surfaces with hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties were examined. Additionally, a microscopic investigation revealed that the environmental dust structure contains a variety of particles and components, some of which do not conform to the stoichiometric ratio and consequently result in cationic or anionic reactions. As a result, dust clusters gather and are produced. Based on the used solution, which is a low concentration of hydrofluoric acid, it seems to resist and lessen this effect of dust cluster formation.

The researcher's findings also point to a decrease in the growth of dust adhesion and dust clustering on both hydrophilic and hydrophobic type surfaces. Gravity forces enable the inclined axial tilt to help in this situation as well, making it easier to clean the glass surface of the solution-mixed dust than the usual ambient dust.

References :

• Abba Abdulhamid Abubakar, B. S. Y. H. A.-Q. A. A., 2019. Environmental dust repelling from hydrophilic/hydrophobic surfaces under sonic excitations. Scientific Reports, 2020,, pp. 19 - 48.
• IKEUCHI, 2022. Preventing dust adhesion. [Online] Available at: https://www.ikeuchi.eu/solutions/applications/preventing-dust-adhesion/[Accessed 14 November 2022].
• KEYENCE CORPORATION OF AMERICA, 2022. The Mecanism of Particle Adhesion. [Online] Available at: https://www.keyence.com/ss/products/static/resource/solution/[Accessed 14 November 2022].