Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 7, 2026
Surface Properties of Synthesized Nanoporous Carbon and Silica Matrices
Published on: March 27, 2019
A study on the wetting properties of broccoli leaf surfaces and their time dependent self-healing after mechanical
1Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 3200003, Israel. bpokroy@technion.ac.il.
Abstract:
Plants are protected from the elements by a complex hierarchical epicuticular wax layer which has inspired the creation of super-hydrophobic and self-cleaning surfaces. Although many studies have been conducted on different plant wax systems to determine the mechanisms of water repulsion hardly any have studied the recovery of the epicuticular wax layer. In the current study the wetting properties and crystallographic nature of the wax surface of Brassica oleracea var. italica (broccoli) has been studied, as well as the time-dependent recovery of the surface after mechanical damage. It was found that the surface of the broccoli leaves is not only super-repulsive and self-cleaning in regards to water but also in regards to glycerol and formamide, both of which have considerably lower surface tension values. Furthermore, it was shown that the surface properties do indeed recover after damage and that this recovery is multi-stepped and strongly dependent on the recovery of the roughness of the surface.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
02:39The Integrated Rate Law: The Dependence of Concentration on Time
01:20Chronopharmacokinetics: Time-Dependent Pharmacokinetics
Time-dependent pharmacokinetics refers to non-cyclical changes in drug rate processes over a period of time. It can lead to nonlinear pharmacokinetics, where the relationship between drug concentration and time is not proportional. Non-cyclical...
01:21Frequency-dependent Selection
02:45The Quantum-Mechanical Model of an Atom
03:06Reaction Mechanisms
For instance, the decomposition of ozone appears to follow a mechanism with two steps:
02:57Surface Tension, Capillary Action, and Viscosity
The various IMFs between identical molecules of a substance are examples of cohesive forces. The molecules within a liquid are surrounded by other molecules and are attracted equally in all directions by the cohesive forces within the liquid. However, the molecules on the surface of a liquid are attracted only by about one-half as many molecules. Because of the unbalanced molecular attractions on the surface molecules, liquids contract to form a shape that minimizes the number...