Hierarchically structured superhydrophobic flowers with low hysteresis of the wild pansy (Viola tricolor) - new design principles for biomimetic materials.

ABSTRACT: Hierarchically structured flower leaves (petals) of many plants are superhydrophobic, but water droplets do not roll-off when the surfaces are tilted. On such surfaces water droplets are in the "Cassie impregnating wetting state", which is also known as the "petal effect". By analyzing the petal surfaces of different species, we discovered interesting new wetting characteristics of the surface of the flower of the wild pansy (Viola tricolor). This surface is superhydrophobic with a static contact angle of 169° and very low hysteresis, i.e., the petal effect does not exist and water droplets roll-off as from a lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) leaf. However, the surface of the wild pansy petal does not possess the wax crystals of the lotus leaf. Its petals exhibit high cone-shaped cells (average siz

SUBMITTER: Schulte AJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3148064 | biostudies-literature | 2011

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature