Bioinspired Surfaces With Switchable Wettability

Abstract

The surface wettability of plants exhibits many unique advantages, which enhances the environmental adaptability of plants. In view of the rapid development of responsive materials, smart surfaces have been explored extensively to regulate surface wettability through external stimuli. Herein, we summarized recent advancements in bioinspired surfaces with switchable wettability. Typical bioinspired surfaces with switchable wettability and their emerging applications have been reviewed. In the end, we have discussed the remaining challenges and provided perspective on future development.

A multifunctional flexible sensor with coupling bionic microstructures inspired by nature

“…50 In the flower petals of the rose, the micropapilla is the basic structure unit distributed on the surface, arrayed in a dense pattern to realize superhydrophobicity. 56 The morphology of each micropapillary structure resembles a semicircular sphere, so particles with spherical shapes could be used to achieve the construction of plant-micropapilla-like structures. Based on the inspirations from the slit sensillum of arthropods and the micropapilla structure of rose flower petals, a paper-based sensor was fabricated successfully.…”

Locust-Inspired Direction-Dependent Transport Based on a Magnetic-Responsive Asymmetric-Microplate-Arrayed Surface

“…Micro/nanostructured surfaces with asymmetric properties exhibit high potential applications in the field of biomedicine, diagnostics and therapeutics, and drug development or delivery. − Natural creatures provide many ideas in efficient directional transport on micro/nanostructured surfaces − from which it can be found that efficient asymmetric transport function is always related to the gradient property in surface energy, Laplace pressure, or swing of micro/nanocilia. ,, For example, water can be transported directionally on the peristome surface of Nepenthes alata and the spider silk . The cilia on the respiratory epidermis of mammals can transport the sputum out of the airway, and motile cilia lining the inner walls of the fallopian tubes can transport egg cells to the uterus .…”

Electro-responsive actuators based on graphene

“…As a two-dimensional (2D) carbon material, graphene exhibits several unique properties, 50 , 51 , 52 for instance, high carrier mobility (∼1.5 × 10 4 cm 2 V −1 s −1 ), 53 , 54 , 55 strong mechanical strength (Young's modulus, ∼1.0 TPa; tensile strength, ∼130 GPa), 56 , 57 outstanding thermal conductivity (∼5.0 × 10 3 W mK −1 ), 58 high specific surface area, 59 , 60 flexibility, 61 , 62 , 63 and transparency. 64 , 65 Consequently, graphene and related materials have emerged as appealing candidates in developing different kinds of electronic devices, 66 , 68 , 67 including generators, 69 , 70 , 71 supercapacitors, 72 , 73 , 74 , 75 , 76 photodetectors, 77 , 78 , 79 sensors, 80 , 81 , 82 and actuators.…”