This monograph unveils a series of natural phenomena for scientists to design and discover novel micro- and nanostructure patterns built by exploiting surface features of various microheterogeneous systems. It comprises slightly more than 200 pages structured in four chapters, each starting with a theoretical background on the natural phenomena involved, and following with their translation to methods specific to nanofabrication in promising applications. The work is well illustrated with figures, including relevant scanning electron microscope images and contact-angle measurements provided from recent bibliographic references.
Being at the boundary of classical physical chemistry of colloids and the emerging fields of nanosciences and nanotechnologies, four examples of wettability surface effects provided by some plants and animals are explained in detail and exploited to create novel artificial surfaces and functions: ultra-hydrophobic water repellency on a lotus leaf (chapter 1), direction adhesion of a super-hydrophobic butterfly wing (chapter 2), directional water collection on wetted spider silk (chapter 3), and the fog-collecting hydrophilic/hydrophobic pattern on a beetle’s back (chapter 4). These concepts represent strong and versatile tools to imagine template-mimicking methods able to transfer nature’s intelligence into valuable smart bioinspired materials and nanostructures. Indeed, the key points of this monograph stand in the wide applicative potential and development perspectives in various key-enabling technologies, such as stimuli-responsive superoleophobic materials (pH, thermal, ultraviolet, electric, magnetic) for lab-on-chip systems, biosensors, drug delivery, and nanodevices, to benefit human health, energy, and environment in the near future.
This book particularly addresses specialists in materials science, colloidal chemistry, physics, chemical and metal engineering, polymer science, mechanics, energy fuels, and environmental science and technology who have an interest in bioinspired wettability of surfaces.
Reviewer: Aurelia Megheais emeritus professor at the University Politehnica of Bucharest, Romania.
