Designing Bioinspired Anti‐Biofouling Surfaces based on a Superwettability Strategy

Abstract

Anti-biofouling surfaces are of high importance owing to their crucial roles in biosensors, biomedical devices, food processing, the marine industry, etc. However, traditional anti-biofouling surfaces based on either the release of biocidal compounds or surface chemical/physical design cannot satisfy the practical demands when meeting real-world complex conditions. The outstanding performances of natural anti-biofouling surfaces motivate the development of new bioinspired anti-biofouling surfaces. Herein, a novel strategy is proposed for rationally designing bioinspired anti-biofouling surfaces based on superwettability. By utilizing the trapped air cushions or liquid layers, Lotus leaf inspired superhydrophobic surfaces, fish scales inspired underwater superoleophobic surfaces, and Nepenthes pitcher plants inspired omniphobic slippery surfaces have been successfully designed as anti-biofouling surfaces to effectively resist proteins, bacteria, cells, and marine organisms. It is believed that these novel superwettability-based anti-biofouling surfaces will bring a new era to both biomedical technology and the marine industry, and will greatly benefit human health and daily life in the near future.

Superlyophilic Interfaces and Their Applications

“…[74] Besides regular structures, more random frameworks can be generated with etching/oxidation, layer-bylayer, interfacial polymerization and sol-gel methods. [75][76][77][78][79][80][81][82][83][84][85][86] However, sometimes surface morphology change needs to be avoided when generating SLPL interfaces, hence changing the surface chemical state is an alternative choice, such as UV illumination and plasma treatment. [35,39,[87][88][89][90][91][92][93] Chemical vapor deposition can obtain SLPL interfaces by depositing a thin layer with chemical reactions.…”

Omniphobic ZIF‐8@Hydrogel Membrane by Microfluidic‐Emulsion‐Templating Method for Wound Healing

“…Recent developments in bioinspired surfaces with superwettability opened new opportunities for wound dressings 14–19. By articulating the reentrant architecture of the surface, hydrophobic, even omniphobic, surfaces can be achieved using hydrophilic polymers 20–23.…”

“…By articulating the reentrant architecture of the surface, hydrophobic, even omniphobic, surfaces can be achieved using hydrophilic polymers 20–23. This attribute allows the fabrication of anti‐fouling dressings that prevent microbial invasion by inhibiting their adhesion, and release bactericidal agents to kill them simultaneously 14,15. The applications of superwettability surfaces for wound healing have been inadequate;8,24 wound dressings that combine the advantages of controlled release property of hydrogels and antibacterial property of omniphobic surfaces are still desired.…”

External Stimuli Responsive Liquid‐Infused Surfaces Switching between Slippery and Nonslippery States: Fabrications and Applications

“…Wettability is one of the most fundamental and important property of solid surfaces, which has profound impact on various fields of science and technology for a long time . The researches of liquid behaviors on solid surfaces have attracted increasingly attention due to their applications in various research areas, including self‐cleaning, antifouling, liquid repellent, oil/water separation, microfluidic channels and so on. Nature species' displaying special wettability and adhesion, such as geckos, lotus, pitcher plant, rose petal, desert beetle, fish, has inspired the development of artificial surfaces with super‐wettability.…”