Bioinspired Slippery Surfaces for Liquid Manipulation from Tiny Droplet to Bulk Fluid.

Abstract

Slippery surfaces, which originate in nature with special wettability, have drawn a great deal of attention for both fundamental research and practical applications in a variety of fields due to their unique characteristics of super-low liquid friction and adhesion. Although the research of bioinspired slippery surfaces is in its infancy, it is a rapidly growing and enormously promising field. Herein, we present a systematic review of recent progress in bioinspired slippery surfaces, beginning with a brief introduction of several typical creatures with slippery property in nature. Subsequently, a detailed discussion the basic concepts of the wetting, friction and drag from micro and macro aspects and focus on the underlying slippery mechanism. We next summarize state-of-the-art developments of the three categories of slippery surfaces of air-trapped, liquid-infused and liquid-like slippery surfaces, including materials, design principles and preparation methods of slippery surfaces and highlight the emerging applications. Finally, the current challenges and future prospects of various slippery surfaces are addressed. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.