Anti-fouling properties of microstructured surfaces bio-inspired by rice leaves and butterfly wings

Gregory D Bixler; Andrew Theiss; Bharat Bhushan; Stephen C Lee

doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2013.12.019

Anti-fouling properties of microstructured surfaces bio-inspired by rice leaves and butterfly wings

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2014 Apr 1:419:114-33. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2013.12.019. Epub 2013 Dec 15.

Authors

Gregory D Bixler¹, Andrew Theiss², Bharat Bhushan³, Stephen C Lee⁴

Affiliations

¹ Nanoprobe Laboratory for Bio & Nanotechnology and Biomimetics (NLB(2)), The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
² Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; The Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
³ Nanoprobe Laboratory for Bio & Nanotechnology and Biomimetics (NLB(2)), The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA. Electronic address: bhushan.2@osu.edu.
⁴ Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; The Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.

PMID: 24491339
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2013.12.019

Abstract

Material scientists often look to biology for new engineering solutions to materials science problems. For example, unique surface characteristics of rice leaves and butterfly wings combine the shark skin (antifouling) and lotus leaf (self-cleaning) effects, producing the so-called rice and butterfly wing effect. In this paper, we study antifouling properties of four microstructured surfaces inspired by rice leaves and fabricated with photolithography and hot embossing techniques. Anti-biofouling effectiveness is determined with bioassays using Escherichia coli whilst inorganic fouling with simulated dirt particles. Antifouling data are presented to understand the role of surface geometrical features resistance to fouling. Conceptual modeling provides design guidance when developing novel antifouling surfaces for applications in the medical, marine, and industrial fields.

Keywords: Antifouling; Butterfly wing; E. coli; Rice leaf; Self-cleaning.

Publication types

Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Biomimetic Materials / chemical synthesis
Biomimetic Materials / chemistry*
Butterflies*
Escherichia coli*
Plant Leaves*