The investigation of the wetting behavior on the red rose petal

Abstract

The study on superhydrophobicity is based on the wetting behavior of droplets on the rough surface. The wetting behavior on the red rose petal was observed by optical microscope at micrometer scale. Results showed that the wetting behavior was dynamic and air moved slowly between the droplet and the red rose petal. Many isolated air cushions were also found at the interface. In order to explain the relationship between the wetting behavior and the high adhesive force on the rose petal, a geometric model about solid-liquid-air three phase interface was proposed. The adhesion on the rose petal mainly depended on the sealed air inside the interface which could not connect to the atmosphere and the strong association of the solid/liquid at Wenzel wetting domains in this model.