Sandgrouse Feather-Inspired Multiscale Hierarchical Microstructured Surfaces via IICSA for Controlled Liquid...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Surface Engineering
• Bioinspired Design

Background:

• Bioinspired surfaces offer potential for liquid behavior regulation.
• Fabrication challenges include limited area, poor replication of biological structures, and inadequate morphological control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a scalable and controllable method for fabricating bioinspired surfaces.
• To replicate the multiscale hierarchical morphology and liquid-handling properties of sandgrouse belly feathers.
• To investigate the liquid regulation mechanisms of the fabricated surfaces.

Main Methods:

• Instability-induced crystallization self-assembly (IICSA) was employed.
• Replication of the "rachis-barb-barbule-chirality" multiscale hierarchical microstructured surface (>200 cm²).
• Evaluation of droplet adhesion, high-speed impact capture, and oil-water separation performance.

Main Results:

• The microstructured surface achieved excellent droplet adhesion, suspending 32 µL vertically and 80 µL horizontally.
• High-speed impact capture suppressed rebound, jetting, and splashing at 2.62 m s⁻¹.
• Exceptional oil-water separation efficiency below the detection limit of FTIR was achieved, outperforming conventional methods.

Conclusions:

• The IICSA method provides a simple, scalable, and controllable approach for constructing bioinspired functional structures.
• The fabricated surfaces enable precise liquid manipulation and high-purity separation.
• Multi-level capillary action and contact line pinning synergistically govern the liquid regulation.