Multifunctional Engineered Materials Inspired by Plants, Insects and Microorganisms

Numerous biological organisms have demonstrated how the diversity of surface architectures at the micrometer, nanometer, and molecular scales can yield a range of unique functions, including stimuli-responsiveness, self-healing, and special interfacial properties. Incorporating these functions into engineering materials enables novel functionalities that cannot be found in conventional materials. In this talk, I will discuss several examples of our recent biologically inspired materials, drawing inspiration from plants, insects, and microorganisms. These examples include the development of stimuli-responsive liquid-repellent materials inspired by the slippery liquid-infused peristome of Nepenthes pitcher plants [1 – 4], ultra-antireflective materials inspired by the three-dimensional, buckyball-shaped leafhopper-produced brochosomes [5, 6], and a self-healing reverse filter inspired by the self-healing and fluid mosaic nature of cellular membranes [7].

References:
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[2] Y. Huang, B.B. Stogin, N. Sun, J. Wang, S. Yang, T.-S. Wong, Adv. Mater. 29, 1604641 (2017).
[3] W. Wang, J.V.I. Timonen, A. Carlson, D.-M. Drotlef, C.T. Zhang, S. Kolle, A. Grinthal, T.-S. Wong, B. Hatton, S.H. Kang, S. Kennedy, J. Chi, R.T. Blough, M. Sitti, L. Mahadevan, J. Aizenberg, Nature 559, 77 – 82 (2018).
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[6] L. Wang, Z. Li, S. Shen, T.-S. Wong, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 121, e2312700121 (2024).
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