Biomimetic Surfaces for Tribological Applications in Micro/Nano-Devices

Abstract

Biological examples both motivate and stimulate new scientific research. Biomimetics is the study and simulation of biological systems for desired functional properties. It involves the transformation of the underlying principles discovered in nature into man-made technology. In recent times, bio-inspiration has given rise to a new promising direction for solving the tribological issues in micro/nano-devices such as Micro/Nano-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS/NEMS). This chapter highlights on the various bio-inspired approaches undertaken based on the ‘Lotus Effect’ to create biomimetic surfaces as novel tribological solutions for micro/nano-devices. It also presents the recent advancements in this field. Examples presented in the chapter clearly indicate that by learning from natural surfaces, the development of biomimetic surfaces would remarkably enhance the smooth operation, long-term wear durability and reliability of micro/nano-devices.