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The Micro/Nanoscale Fluid Transport Laboratory (MNFTL) is housed in the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering of the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), and is directed by Prof. Constantine M. Megaridis. Graduate students and postdocs work collaboratively in the laboratory and pursue research funded by federal and industrial sponsors. Projects focus on fundamental and technological aspects of fluid and particle processes, especially in systems ranging from the microscale to the nanoscale. The laboratory is known in the field of multifunctional coatings that have extremely high or low wettability (either by water or other liquids) and their applications. More recently, wettability patterning has been an area of particular strength. Current and past research topics include:

Colloidal Suspensions
Enhanced Heat Transfer (Condensation, Boiling)
Fluid/Particle Transport (Droplets, Sprays, Micro/Nanofluidics)
Frost/Ice Control
Interfacial Phenomena and Surface Engineering
Liquid Repellency (Superhydrophobicity, Superoleophobicity, Self cleaning)
Multifunctional Composite Coatings
Multiphase Heat and Mass Transfer
Pumpless Fluid Transport
Thermal Management of EV Batteries and Power Electronics
Wettability Patterning

ACS Chem Review Cover 2022
Precise manipulation of liquid microvolumes on wettability-patterned surfaces is crucial for the advancement of pumpless microfluidic devices. This cover image (Chem. Rev. Vol. 122, Issue 22, 2022) depicts an example of a digitally-interfaced multiplexer that splits biofluid droplets five ways for detection of targeted ingredients.
  • ­Our review article on Wettability Engineering in Open-Surface Microfluidics and other Surface-Science applications has appeared in Chemical Reviews.
  • Our cover art (left, designed by Rafeeque Mavoor) adorns the cover of the issue.