Biomimetic "water strider leg" with highly refined nanogroove structure and remarkable water-repellent performance

The water strider is a wonderful case that we can learn from nature to understand how to stride on the water surface. Inspired by the unique hierarchical micro/nanostructure of the water strider leg, in this article, we designed and fabricated an artificial strider leg with refined nanogroove structure by using an electrospinning and sacrificial template method. A model water strider that was equipped with four artificial legs showed remarkable water-repellent performance; namely, it could carry a load that was about 7 times heavier than its own weight. Characterization demonstrated that, even though the artificial leg did not possess a superhydrophobic surface, the numerous nanogrooves could still provide a huge supporting force for the man-made model strider. This work enlightens the development of artificial water-walking devices for exploring and monitoring the surface of water. Because of the advances of the applied materials, the devices may fulfill tasks in a harsh aquatic environment.