Influence on surface interactions by substructure topography

A method of forming a smooth aerodynamic surface that permits laminar flow of air over the smooth aerodynamic surface, the method comprising:

• providing a material forming a substrate, the material having a first modulus of elasticity;
• ablating selected portions of a surface of a substrate utilizing a laser to form a treated substrate surface having a predefined roughness of about 1.0 micrometer to about 3.0 micrometers to promote abhesion;
• coating the treated substrate surface with an uncured coating material;
• curing the coating material to form a solid layer of coating material on the treated substrate surface;
• and wherein:
• the solid layer of coating material has a second Modulus of elasticity that is at least about an order of magnitude less than the first modulus of elasticity, and the roughness of the substrate, combine to provide durotaxis for deformation of the solid layer of coating material to reduce adhesion of insect residue on the solid layer of coating material due to the lower modulus of elasticity of the solid layer of coating material.

A method of forming an aerodynamic surface that permits laminar flow of air over the aerodynamic surface, the method comprising:

• ablating selected portions of a surface of a substrate material utilizing a laser to form a treated substrate surface having a predefined roughness selected to promote abhesion;
• coating the treated substrate surface with a coating material having a modulus of elasticity that is at least about one order of magnitude less than a modulus of the substrate material;
• curing the coating material to form a solid layer of the coating material having a smooth aerodynamic surface that permits laminar flow of air over the aerodynamic surface;
• and wherein:
• the solid layer of the coating material reduces adhesion of inset residue due to durotaxis provided by the combination of the treated substrate surface having a predefined roughness and the greater elasticity of the coating material relative to the substrate material, the solid layer of coating material deforms in response to an impact of an insect, and the solid layer of the coating material has a thickness above the surface of the substrate material of about 1.0 micrometers.