Harvard researchers have developed a bio-inspired coating that resists liquids and could see future development of novel antibacterial surfaces
The pitcher plant is an example of nature’s ingenuity. Sweet-smelling, the carnivorous plant attracts insects to land on its cupped leaf, which following rain becomes a virtually frictionless surface, ensuring the insects slide to their doom. By adapting the plant’s slick strategy, a group of scientists at Harvard have created a material that repels just about any type of liquid, including blood and oil, and does so even under harsh conditions such as high pressure and freezing temperatures.
The bio-inspired liquid repellence technology, described in the 22 September 2011 issue of Nature, could find applications in biomedical fluid handling, antifouling, fuel transport and anti-icing technologies. It could even lead to self-cleaning surfaces.
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