Laser structuring of water-repellent biomimetic surfaces

A water-resistant surface inspired by the lotus leaf could enable appli-cations in microfluidics, underwater coatings, and controlled deposi-tion. Manufactured water-repellent and self-cleaning surfaces, which shed debris or contaminants when sprayed, havemany potential uses in daily life, agriculture, and industry. Mimicking nature has been a central strategy in this field, since biological species have many extraordinary wetting properties. One example is the lotus plant, Nelumbo nucifera. Revered as a symbol of purity in several ancient cultures, its leaves stay clean even though it grows in muddy lakes and ponds. The leaf is so water repellent that a droplet touching its surface instantly acquires a spherical shape, and even slight tilting causes it to roll off the leaf. Artifi-cial surfaces exhibiting the lotus effect1 could have many appli-cations