Bioinspired liquid repellent surfaces - Literature review Example

Such cases are not only seen on daily basis, like car windshields fogging, bathroom taps calcification and utensils and cooking pans non sticky properties, but also are experienced in industrial applications, infrastructures damage such as metallic machines corrosion and sewer blockage and fouling by fats (Martin et al.2003). In order for such problems to be resolved, there is need of super hydrophobic surfaces creation and it has been studied extensively for the past few decades (Martin et al.2003). For the super-hydrophobicity properties to be achieved there is need of the introduction of roughness to the surface and most of the solid –water surfaces is never oriented parallel to the substrate (Martin et al.2003). Scientists have been inspired by nature in solving sophisticated challenges in the field of biom imetics.

Nature is considered to be based on designs that are effective. In this case, the application of previous resources is optimized and it is something that has been considered to inspire engineers worldwide (Bhushan etal.2006). A deeper understanding of nature could result to bio-inspired products which could save money, lives and time. There are various examples which include Shark skin inspired the boat hulls (low drag); low adhesion and super hydrophobic lotus leaf inspired the antifouling medical devices and self cleaning windows (Bhushan etal.2006). There has been resolution to several engineering challenges in nature that include antifouling and fluid drag reduction which are obstacles to several industries.

Nature has a clue to these challenges and it includes the butterfly wings and rice leaves unique surfaces characteristics. These combine the lotus leaf effect as well as the shark skin effect to generate what is referred to as rice butterfly wing effect. Several fauna and flora has been majorly focused on by researchers with a lot of emphasis on the structures of the nature, surfaces as well