Biomimetic fabrication of polymer film with high adhesive superhydrophobicity by duplicating locust wing surface

Abstract

Locust is a common flying insect. Locust wings were used as biomimetic templates to fabricate multi-functional polymer(polydimethylsiloxane, PDMS) films by soft lithography. The microstructure and wettability of the natural and artificial locust wing surfaces were investigated by means of a scanning electron microscope(SEM) and a video-based contact angle meter. The natural locust wing surface exhibits complicated hierarchical structures and high adhesive superhydrophobicity(contact angle 152°). The prepared polymer film faithfully reproduces the surface microstructures of the bio-template, and displays a good hydrophobicity and high adhesion(contact angle 144°). The complex wettability of the natural and artificial locust wing surfaces ascribes to the cooperative effect of hydrophobic composition and multi-dimensional rough microstructures. This work not only promotes our understanding of the wetting mechanism on bio-surfaces, but offers an inexpensive and effective approach for biomimetic fabrication of multi-functional interfacial materials.

Keywords

Biomimetic / Superhydrophobicity / Adhesion / Polymer film / Locust wing

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