Plant-Based Sustainable Self-Cleaners in Nanotechnology Era: From Mechanism to Assembling

Abstract

Nature has always been a resource of inspiration for humans, providing valuable lessons that have led to innovative solutions throughout history. Observing the micro-nano roughness structure of bio-surfaces has led to the discovery of natural self-cleaning surfaces for over 25 years. This has sparked a new field of research with valuable applications. Numerous self-cleaning products made from plant extracts have been created by replicating the natural purifying abilities of plant surfaces. Significant literature exists on the development, classification, extraction, and production of self-cleaning agents for diverse industries through a thorough understanding of bio-cleaning mechanisms. Various methods have been developed to synthesize these surfaces, including immersion, electrochemical deposition, emulsion, electrospinning, phase-separation, Chemical-Vapor-Deposition (CVD), spray coating, wet chemical reaction, and three-dimensional printing (3D-printing), among others. Currently, the primary objective is to gain knowledge from nature and utilize it to develop novel products for food, pharmaceutical, and related industries. Natural plant-based self-cleaning surfaces can be characterized by their superhydrophobicity and superhydrophilicity regimes. The process of 3D-printing is a computer-based technique that builds up three-dimensional objects through the layer-by-layer deposition of materials. The creation of effective self-cleaning surfaces with unique wettability, chemical properties, and microstructure depends on the design and engineering of solid surfaces.