Biomimicked superhydrophobic polymeric and carbon surfaces

Abstract

We report two direct and easy ways of fabricating stable, superhydrophobic polymeric and carbon surfaces directly by biomimicking the patterns found on natural plant leaves by micromolding and nanoimprint lithography. Two distinct classes of naturally occurring microtextures on superhydrophobic leaves were mimicked in this study, which include leaves of Elephant creeper (Argyreia Nervosa) and Nasturtium (Tropaeolum Majus). These show structural superhydrophobicity derived from high aspect ratio hairs and lower aspect ratio microtextures, respectively. Both the textures could be replicated by micromolding in different polymers, polydimethylsiloxane, polystyrene, and an organic resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF) gel. Patterned RF gel surfaces yielded superhydrophobic carbon surfaces upon pyrolysis because RF gel is a polymer precursor to glassy carbon. The nanoimprint lithography could be used for a direct transfer of the lower aspect ratio leaf patterns on the surfaces of various other polymers like poly(ethylene terephthalate) and poly(methyl methacrylate).