Biomimetic Innovations: Exploring Bubble-Trapping Organisms for Manufacturing Breakthroughs

Many aquatic organisms have evolved remarkable micro/nanostructures and surface chemistries that enable stable air bubble entrapment, offering valuable insights for biomimetic engineering. Various fabrication techniques-including chemical deposition, photolithography, 3D printing, electrospinning, electrostatic flocking, and femtosecond laser processing-can replicate these bioinspired bubble-trapping surfaces. Crucially, the optimization of surface physicochemical properties during manufacturing is essential for maintaining stable air layers. These engineered air layers demonstrate dual functionality, serving as both an effective biofouling barrier and a drag-reducing lubricant interface, where bubble characteristics (size, density, and stability) critically determine performance. This review comprehensively examines the biological prototype of bubble adsorption, key physicochemical parameters governing air layer formation, and state-of-the-art biomimetic manufacturing methods. We anticipate that this systematic analysis will advance fundamental understanding of bubble dynamics while inspiring novel applications of air-layer technologies across multiple engineering domains.