Superhydrophobic Surfaces Developed by Mimicking Hierarchical Surface Morphology of Lotus Leaf

Abstract

Abstract:The lotus plant is recognized as a 'King plant' among all the natural water repellent plants due to its excellent non-wettability. The superhydrophobic surfaces exhibiting the famous 'Lotus Effect', along with extremely high water contact angle (>150°) and low sliding angle (<10°), have been broadly investigated and extensively applied on variety of substrates for potential self-cleaning and anti-corrosive applications. Since 1997, especially after the exploration of the surface micro/nanostructure and chemical composition of the lotus leaves by the two German botanists Barthlott and Neinhuis, many kinds of superhydrophobic surfaces mimicking the lotus leaf-like structure have been widely reported in the literature. This review article briefly describes the different wetting properties of the natural superhydrophobic lotus leaves and also provides a comprehensive state-of-the-art discussion on the extensive research carried out in the field of artificial superhydrophobic surfaces which are developed by mimicking the lotus leaf-like dual scale micro/nanostructure. This review article could be beneficial for both novice researchers in this area as well as the scientists who are currently working on non-wettable, superhydrophobic surfaces.

Self-cleaning transparent superhydrophobic coatings through simple sol–gel processing of fluoroalkylsilane

“…Such a high water repellency observed on superhydrophobic surfaces is due to the rough surface microstructure and low surface energy. In the last decade, excellent water repellency and self-cleaning properties of plant leaves have inspired the extensive development of superhydrophobic solid surfaces [6]. The dual-scale hierarchical micro/nanostructure and low surface energy due to the secreted wax Page 3 of 28 A c c e p t e d M a n u s c r i p t material found on lotus leaves has encouraged material scientists to build artificial robust water-repellent surfaces [7].…”

Superhydrophobic laser ablated PTFE substrates

“…To develop such surfaces, nature is a limitless source to harvest ideas of superhydrophobic surfaces exhibiting amazing properties for low-adhesive surfaces such as the low wettability and the self-cleaning property of the lotus leaf surface [8,9].…”

Analysis of approaches to mathematical description of the characteristics of materials with high hydrophobicity

“…Краевой угол смачивания водой поверхности политетрафторэтилена, для сравнения, составляет около 108°, а листа лотоса -более 150° [5]. Последнее достигается отнюдь не наличием ещё более неполярных материалов в составе природных объектов, а за счёт особенности их поверхностной структуры.…”