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 <i>Nepenthes</i> 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].<br/><br/>References:<br/>[1] T.-S. Wong, S.H. Kang, S.K.Y. Tang, E.J. Smythe, B.D. Hatton, A. Grinthal, J. Aizenberg, <i>Nature</i> <b>477</b>, 443 – 447 (2011).<br/>[2] Y. Huang, B.B. Stogin, N. Sun, J. Wang, S. Yang, T.-S. Wong, <i>Adv. Mater.</i> <b>29</b>, 1604641 (2017).<br/>[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, <i>Nature</i> <b>559</b>, 77 – 82 (2018).<br/>[4] X. Dai, N. Sun, S.O. Nielsen, B.B. Stogin, J. Wang, S. Yang. T.-S. Wong, <i>Sci. Adv.</i> <b>4</b>, eaaq0919 (2018).<br/>[5] S. Yang, N. Sun, B.B. Stogin, J. Wang, Y. Huang, T.-S. Wong, <i>Nat. Commun.</i>, <b>8</b>, 1285 (2017).<br/>[6] L. Wang, Z. Li, S. Shen, T.-S. Wong, <i>Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA </i><b>121</b>, e2312700121 (2024).<br/>[7] B.B. Stogin, L. Gockowski, H. Feldstein, H. Claure, J. Wang, T.-S. Wong, <i>Sci. Adv.</i> <b>4</b>, aat3276 (2018).