Discovering the Materials of Tomorrow | Webinar 15 – Materials Research and Technologies at KU Leuven

Join us for the fifteenth webinar in our series, where we explore materials research and technologies at KU Leuven with Professor David Seveno, who will guide us into research on droplets and on how 'wettability' informs the design of advanced materials. Wettability governs how liquids interact with surfaces, from the spreading of a single droplet to the performance of complex materials under demanding environmental and industrial conditions.

In this webinar, Prof. David Seveno will present the research strategy of COMPLEXURF, KU Leuven’s Laboratory of Complex Surfaces and Interfaces, which combines experimental, modelling, and application-driven approaches to understand and engineer interfacial phenomena across a wide temperature range.

Drawing on selected case studies, Professor Seveno will show how controlling wetting at multiple length scales can guide the design of functional surfaces and materials, from icephobic coatings operating around -20°C to high-temperature interfacial processes reaching 1650°C for liquid metals. The presentation will highlight how fundamental insights into droplets and interfaces can be translated into innovative material solutions for both everyday and extreme conditions.

David Seveno is Associate Professor in the Department of Materials Engineering at KU Leuven and leads research within COMPLEXURF, the Laboratory of Complex Surfaces and Interfaces. His work focuses on surfaces, interfaces, and wetting phenomena, combining experimental approaches with modelling to understand and control how liquids interact with materials across length scales and temperature ranges. His research spans various topics such as molecular-scale interfacial processes, wetting dynamics, icephobic coatings, superhydrophobicity, cellulose-based materials, fibre-reinforced composites, and liquid metals. Through these activities, he connects fundamental interfacial science with the design of functional surfaces and advanced materials for environmental and industrial applications.

Discover Una Europa's Future Materials and Technologies Focus Area with the 'Discovering the Materials of Tomorrow' Webinar Series.

Standing at the intersection of science, technology and innovation, Una Europa's Future Materials and Technologies Focus Area presents a webinar series dedicated to exploring solutions to global challenges through a multidisciplinary lens. The series will tackle issues including energy, the environment, and medical global challenges, bridging the gap between science, and society.

These interactive webinars provide a platform for participants to engage with experts from across Una Europa’s 11 partner universities, together delving into the latest research findings and asking necessary questions. The series encourages the exchange of ideas and the cultivation of novel approaches to tackle complex problems.

Embracing open knowledge sharing and adapting to emerging technologies are fundamental aspects driving these webinars. As a participant, you have the chance to be part of discussions on novel developments in Future Materials and Technologies, contributing to a collective pool of knowledge across diverse disciplines.