In principle, every material and every surface has a specific surface energy with which the wetting behavior with liquid media can be influenced. In this way, for example, liquids can be either repelled from or attracted to the surface. With watery media, we generally differentiate between hydrophobic (water-repelling) and hydrophilic (water-attracting) systems and with oleiferous media between oleophobic (oil-repelling) and oleophilic (oil-attracting). By influencing the surface energy you can change surfaces in a targeted manner. Typical examples are easy-to-clean, transparent and permanent surfaces („Easy2Clean®"), which are used, for example, increasingly in industrial machines and plants or have established themselves in bathroom applications (like sanitary ceramics and in glass shower cabinets). Both the increased comfort (convenience) for the end consumer as well as the increase in efficiency (productivity gains) of industrial processes are of interest. Already today and with increasing importance for the future, variable surface energy systems can be combined with even more properties (multifunctional systems).

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