Micro-replication platform for studying the structural effect of seed surfaces on wetting properties

Abstract

Biological surfaces in plants are critical for controlling essential functions such as wettability, adhesion, and light management, which are linked to their adaptation, survival, and reproduction. Biomimetically patterned surfaces replicating the microstructures of plant surfaces have become an emerging tool for understanding plant–environment interactions. In this study, we developed a two-step micro-replication platform to mimic the microstructure of seed surfaces and demonstrated that this initial platform can be used to study seed surface–environment interactions. The two-step process involved the extraction of a simplified seed surface model from real seeds and micro-replication of the simplified seed surface model using nanoimprint lithography. Using Allium seeds collected from Mongolia and Central Asia as the model system, we studied the wettability of biological and synthetic seed surfaces. We could independently control the material properties of a synthetic seed surface while maintaining the microstructures and, thereby, provide clear evidence that Allium seed surfaces were highly wettable owing to the high surface energy in the epidermal material rather than a microstructural effect. We expect that this platform can facilitate study of the independent effect of microstructure on the interaction of seed surfaces with their surroundings and contribute to research on the evolution of plant–environment interactions.

Multifunctional Microcavity Surfaces for Robust Capture and Direct Rapid Sampling of Concentrated Analytes

“…These samples were prepared to investigate systematically how the combined influence of surface geometry and wettability impacts both the evaporation dynamics and resulting patterns formed by deposited particles. [32,[41][42][43][44] Figure 1C portrays the fabricated microstructured surfaces, featuring micropillars with a diameter (d) and pitch (p) of 4.5 and 40 μm, respectively, as well as the microcavities with a wall thickness (t) and hexagonal side length (l) of 3 and 40 μm, respectively. To investigate the wetting and evaporation dynamics of these samples in the context of sensing applications, a test system was designed using liquid droplets blended with nanoparticles, simulating the analyte-laden colloidal suspension.…”

Formation of Multiscale Porous Surfaces via Evaporation-Induced Aggregation of Imprinted Nanowires with Highly Viscous Photocurable Materials

“…These structures are crafted using methods such as lithography [7], sol-gel [8], selfassembly [9,10], direct replication using Anodic Aluminum Oxide (AAO) [11][12][13][14], and SPPW [15][16][17]. Nanoimprint lithography (NIL) [18][19][20][21][22], a technology employing roll imprinting to create nanopatterns by coating a resin that cures with ultraviolet light, is particularly esteemed for its simplicity and cost-effectiveness. However, the nature of NIL, involving the transfer of thin layered materials through pressure to create patterns on a new surface, imposes limitations on achieving structures with high aspect ratios.…”

Long‐Term Immersion Study for Durability of Interconnected Micropatterned Surfaces with Sustained Water Repellency

“…[25,26] We focused on the main water-repellent surface production methods: coating with low-surfaceenergy materials [27][28][29][30][31] and generating nano/microstructures via lithography and template replication. [32][33][34][35][36][37][38] However, surface coatings are limited by their lack of durability, often requiring frequent reapplication to maintain effectiveness. [39][40][41] Previous studies on longterm water-resistance stability have revealed a significant reduction in contact angles over time.…”