Straightforward and precise approach to replicate complex hierarchical structures from plant surfaces onto soft matter polymer

Royal Society Open Science
Charchit KumarHolger F Bohn

Abstract

The surfaces of plant leaves are rarely smooth and often possess a species-specific micro- and/or nano-structuring. These structures usually influence the surface functionality of the leaves such as wettability, optical properties, friction and adhesion in insect-plant interactions. This work presents a simple, convenient, inexpensive and precise two-step micro-replication technique to transfer surface microstructures of plant leaves onto highly transparent soft polymer material. Leaves of three different plants with variable size (0.5-100 µm), shape and complexity (hierarchical levels) of their surface microstructures were selected as model bio-templates. A thermoset epoxy resin was used at ambient conditions to produce negative moulds directly from fresh plant leaves. An alkaline chemical treatment was established to remove the entirety of the leaf material from the cured negative epoxy mould when necessary, i.e. for highly complex hierarchical structures. Obtained moulds were filled up afterwards with low viscosity silicone elastomer (PDMS) to obtain positive surface replicas. Comparative scanning electron microscopy investigations (original plant leaves and replicated polymeric surfaces) reveal the high precision and versat...Continue Reading

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Citations

Mar 27, 2019·Integrative and Comparative Biology·Timothy E HighamThomas Speck
Apr 11, 2019·Philosophical Transactions. Series A, Mathematical, Physical, and Engineering Sciences·Charchit KumarVincent Le Houérou
Feb 4, 2021·Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids·S RodríguezV de Zea Bermudez
Oct 22, 2019·Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids·Yunyi CaoJinju Chen

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
chemical treatment
scanning electron microscopy
chemical
surface treatments

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