Wettability and Adhesional Differences on a Natural Template: The Cicada Wing

Mingxia Sun; Gregory S Watson; Jolanta A Watson; Yongmei Zheng; Lei Jiang; Dong Han; Aiping Liang

doi:10.1166/sam.2014.1805

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Wettability and Adhesional Differences on a Natural Template: The Cicada Wing

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Wettability and Adhesional Differences on a Natural Template: The Cicada Wing

Mingxia Sun, Gregory S Watson, Jolanta A Watson, Yongmei Zheng, Lei Jiang, Dong Han and Aiping Liang

Science of Advanced Materials, Vol.6(7), pp.1493-1500

2014

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1166/sam.2014.1805

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Abstract

Nanotechnology

Physical Chemistry (incl. Structural)

Materials Engineering

adhesion

chemistry

cicada wing

nanostructure

wettability

Natural nanostructures represent an interesting group of materials which have been finely tuned through the imperatives of species survival and which represent suitable templates for man-made applications. We have investigated the surface properties on two species of cicadas, Cryptotympana mandarina and C. atrata. These were chosen as they present hydrophilic (C. mandarina) and hydrophobic (C. atrata) membrane surfaces with a similar lateral nanostructure arrangement. The study illustrates the relationship between wettability, nanostructure and adhesion on the wing surfaces. The elemental components (as determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)) showed a high percentage of carbon in accord with an epicuticle layer of hydrocarbon. The wing nanostructured protrusions were found to posses similar values of basal diameter (80-130 nm) and spacing (67-107 nm) but significant differences in height (from 157 nm to 464 nm). The contact angles (CAs) ranged from 58.1° to 137.9°. The results show that the surfaces with higher protrusions typically have larger CAs. Adhesion of the wing surfaces correlated strongly to the surface wetting properties. The data demonstrates that, in principle, tuning of nanostructure height with structuring at these lateral dimensions can be used to exhibit particular wetting and adhesional properties.

Details

Title: Wettability and Adhesional Differences on a Natural Template: The Cicada Wing
Authors: Mingxia Sun (Author)
Gregory S Watson (Author)
Jolanta A Watson (Author)
Yongmei Zheng (Author)
Lei Jiang (Author)
Dong Han (Author)
Aiping Liang (Author)
Publication details: Science of Advanced Materials, Vol.6(7), pp.1493-1500
Publisher: American Scientific Publishers
Date published: 2014
DOI: 10.1166/sam.2014.1805
ISSN: 1947-2935
Organisation Unit: School of Science and Engineering - Legacy; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Science, Technology and Engineering
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99448726102621
Output Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Web Of Science research areas: Materials Science, Multidisciplinary; Nanoscience & Nanotechnology; Physics, Applied

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