Replication of butterfly wing and natural lotus leaf structures by nanoimprint on silica sol-gel films

Bioinspir Biomim. 2008 Dec;3(4):046004. doi: 10.1088/1748-3182/3/4/046004. Epub 2008 Sep 24.

Abstract

An original and low cost method for the fabrication of patterned surfaces bioinspired from butterfly wings and lotus leaves is presented. Silica-based sol-gel films are thermally imprinted from elastomeric molds to produce stable structures with superhydrophobicity values as high as 160 degrees water contact angle. The biomimetic surfaces are demonstrated to be tuned from superhydrophobic to superhydrophilic by annealing between 200 degrees C and 500 degrees C.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biomimetic Materials / chemical synthesis*
  • Butterflies / anatomy & histology*
  • Membranes, Artificial*
  • Nanostructures / chemistry*
  • Nanotechnology / methods*
  • Phase Transition
  • Plant Leaves / anatomy & histology*
  • Silicon Dioxide / chemistry*
  • Surface Properties

Substances

  • Membranes, Artificial
  • Silicon Dioxide