Mimicking from Rose Petal to Lotus Leaf: Biomimetic Multiscale Hierarchical Particles with Tunable Water Adhesion

Abstract

Water-droplet adhesions of the coatings constructed by all-polymer multiscale hierarchical particles (MHPs) were finely adjusted within the range from highly adhesive to self-cleanable. The MHPs were synthesized via thermal-induced polymerization of the reactants absorbed into self-made hollow reactors and in situ capping of nanocomplexes onto the reactors' shell simultaneously. The dynamic wettability of the prepared MHPs was tuned between water-droplet sliding and water-droplet adhering by simply controlling the type of capped nanocomplexes. Water-adhesive force changed in the range from 31.28 to 89.34 μN. In addition, the raspberry-like particles (MHPs without nanocomplex capping) were used to construct superhydrophobic rose-petal-like surface with a high water-adhesive force, which can be applied in microdroplet transportation without loss. The MHPs with appropriate nanocomplex capping were used to fabricate superhydrophobic lotus-leaf-like fabric, exhibiting excellent antifouling property and superior mechanical stability. We believe that the prepared superhydrophobic MHPs with diverse water-adhesive forces are promising in potential academic research and industrial applications.