Bioinspired Surface with Superwettability for Controllable Liquid Dynamics

Abstract

Liquid dynamics on a solid surface, i.e., the impact, flow, or overflow, are ubiquitous in nature and cause multifaceted problems that affect daily life. Recent studies on the role of surface superwettability in controlling liquid dynamics have attracted much attention. The role of particular surface morphologies and surface chemical compositions in manipulating the liquid impact or transport dynamics has garnered diverse scientific interests and has encouraged the widespread use of surface wettabilities in practical applications. Herein, the recent progress according to the interaction method between the liquid and solid is classified and summarized. The crucial influence of surface wettabilities and structures on liquid dynamic behaviors and a critical survey of the mechanism behind these behaviors, along with emerging applications, challenges, and perspectives, are presented.

Introduction to the biomimetic design of interfacial materials for water overflow control

“…Three main food crops, rice, wheat, and corn, have a combination of hydrophobic wax and micro/ nanoscaled surface structures on their leaves. 7 High-speed spraying droplets impacting these surfaces favoured rebounding, splashing, drifting due to wind, and draining via leave tips, which caused more than 60% of the pesticides to be lost. This low pesticide utilization efficiency on crops not only fails to control pests but also causes a low crop yield.…”

“…When there exists relative motion between a solid and a continuous fluid, one can easily determine that the motion of fluid tends to adhere to the solid surface and bends its direction of motion along the curved solid or edge. 7 Although the overflow phenomenon has been mentioned occasionally, researchers have not given it sufficient attention. For example, when pouring water from a teapot, part of the liquid often flows down the spout edge, returns to the side wall of the kettle body and drips onto the tabletop (Fig.…”

Bioinspired materials for droplet manipulation: Principles, methods and applications

“…Therefore, it is of great significance to continue to develop the manipulation technology of surface droplets. Recently, with the development of functional surface fabrication technology and droplet dynamics theory, droplet manipulation on surfaces has been achieved by engineering surface wettability gradient or external stimuli 20–29 …”

Wettability Gradient-Structured Bicomponent Polylactic Acid–Viscose Composite Fabrics with Enhanced Asymmetric Water Penetration Characteristics

“…Therefore, there has been a concerted effort to further enhance the asymmetric water penetration characteristics of nonwovens in recent years. Such efforts have focused on forming asymmetrically wettable surfaces between the inner and outer layers of fabrics, i.e., ensuring that one side is superhydrophobic and the other side is superhydrophilic. − …”