Natural superhydrophobic surfaces self-cleaning properties

The lotus effect has inspired scientists to design superhydrophobic surfaces for applications such as self-cleaning windows and water-repellent clothing. To understand the lotus effect and other phenomena involving liquids and solids, we must understand intermoiecuiar forces, the forces that exist between molecules. Only by understanding the nature and strength of these forces can we understand how the composition and structure of a substance are related to its physical properties in the liquid or solid state. 

New products and new properties of products can be developed by learning from principles and functions in nature. ITV Denkendorf is working in basic and applied science in networks of botanic institutes, chemical companies, textile producers and consumers in different fields on bionic ideas. One of the main focuses of current work with nanotechnology within these networks is the development of self-cleaning superhydrophobic surfaces on textiles. 

Superhydrophobicity arises from the combination of hierarchical surface structures and low surface energy materials. When superhydrophobicity is combined with the ability to self-clean, we witness surfaces that can perform multiple functions (fung and Bhushan, 2006 Bhushan et al., 2009 Yan et al., 2011). To achieve these properties, the presence of multiscale or hierarchical structures on naturally hydrophobic materials is required (Nosonovsky and Bhushan, 2005 Verho et al., 2012 Papadopoulos et al., 2013). Nosonovsky and Bhushan determined that a composite interface... 

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