Biomimetics on the micro- and nanoscale – The 25th anniversary of the lotus effect

• Matthias Mail,
• Kerstin Koch,
• Thomas Speck,
• William M. Megill and
• Stanislav N. Gorb

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 850–856, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.69

• investigations of some biological role models (e.g., the floating fern Salvinia or the backswimmer Notonecta), several prototypes of such surfaces have been developed. In this publication, the authors analyse a novel biomimetic surface, which was initially developed for a different purpose, for its air retaining

Dry under water: air retaining properties of large-scale elastomer foils covered with mushroom-shaped surface microstructures

• Matthias Mail,
• Stefan Walheim,
• Thomas Schimmel,
• Wilhelm Barthlott,
• Stanislav N. Gorb and
• Lars Heepe

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 1370–1379, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.113

• Effect, the capability to keep a stable air layer when submerged under water. Such air layers are of great importance, e.g., for drag reduction (passive air lubrication), antifouling, sensor applications or oil–water separation. Some biological models, e.g., the floating fern Salvinia or the backswimmer

Biological and biomimetic surfaces: adhesion, friction and wetting phenomena

• Stanislav N. Gorb,
• Kerstin Koch and
• Lars Heepe

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 481–482, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.48

• are devoted to surface-related effects in animal and plant surfaces, such as sandfish scales, wings of a ladybird beetle, tarsi of burying beetles, attachment devices of a sea star and a sea urchin, elytra of a backswimmer, leaves of an ice plant, and the wax layer of sacred lotus leaves. Seven of the

A new bioinspired method for pressure and flow sensing based on the underwater air-retaining surface of the backswimmer Notonecta

• Matthias Mail,
• Adrian Klein,
• Horst Bleckmann,
• Anke Schmitz,
• Torsten Scherer,
• Peter T. Rühr,
• Goran Lovric,
• Robin Fröhlingsdorf,
• Stanislav N. Gorb and
• Wilhelm Barthlott

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 3039–3047, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.282

• Salvinia (Salviniales: Salviniacae) and the backswimmer Notonecta (Hemiptera: Notonectidae) (Figure 1a) have been shown to be ideal model organisms for the development of biomimetic air-retaining surfaces [4][9][10]. Thus, stable air layers bear a high potential for biomimetic technical applications, e.g

• wave. The second type of setae, the pins, penetrate the air–water interface and thus should be in direct contact with the water outside the air layer. We suggest that any water flow in the vicinity of a backswimmer deflects the pins and thus is detected by Notonecta. To find out whether a deflection of

• moved its tail fin and if the distance to the fish was ≤1.8 body length. In these cases, the backswimmer attempted to catch the fish in about 90% of the cases. Additional support for a possible sensory function of the air layer on the backswimmer hemelytra surface was provided by an experiment combining

Air–water interface of submerged superhydrophobic surfaces imaged by atomic force microscopy

• Markus Moosmann,
• Thomas Schimmel,
• Wilhelm Barthlott and
• Matthias Mail

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 1671–1679, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.167

• of increasing interest for technical applications. Persistent air layers (the Salvinia effect) are known from biological species, for example, the floating fern Salvinia or the backswimmer Notonecta. The use of this concept opens up new possibilities for biomimetic technical applications in the

• most complex plant surfaces is exhibited by the giant floating fern Salvinia molesta (Figure 1a,b). With its elastic egg-beater-like shaped trichomes and chemical heterogeneities [5], the fern is capable of maintaining a stable air layer underwater for several weeks. Another example is the backswimmer

• . KGaA. b) With its egg-beater-like trichomes with terminal hydrophilic anchor cells, Salvinia is able to maintain air layers for many weeks under water. c) The backswimmer Notonecta keeps a persistent air layer on its forewings even when it moves underwater at high velocity. The silvery shine is due to

Superhydrophobicity in perfection: the outstanding properties of the lotus leaf

• Hans J. Ensikat,
• Petra Ditsche-Kuru,
• Christoph Neinhuis and
• Wilhelm Barthlott

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2011, 2, 152–161, doi:10.3762/bjnano.2.19

• ]. Superhydrophobic surfaces which feature permanent air retention under water are found on animals (some birds, spiders and insects). An outstanding air-retention capability is found, for example, for the aquatic insect Notonecta glauca (‘backswimmer’) [26][27]. Here the water repellency is created by a two-level

Superhydrophobic surfaces of the water bug Notonecta glauca: a model for friction reduction and air retention

• Petra Ditsche-Kuru,
• Erik S. Schneider,
• Jan-Erik Melskotte,
• Martin Brede,
• Alfred Leder and
• Wilhelm Barthlott

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2011, 2, 137–144, doi:10.3762/bjnano.2.17

• the air film on most superhydrophobic surfaces usually lasts no longer than a few days, a few semi-aquatic plants and insects are able to hold an air film over a longer time period. Currently, we found high air film persistence under hydrostatic conditions for the elytra of the backswimmer Notonecta

• extremely interesting as a biomimetic model for low friction fluid transport or drag reduction on ship hulls. Keywords: air film; aquatic insects; backswimmer; drag reduction; superhydrophobic surfaces; Introduction Superhydrophobic surfaces are of great economic interest because of their amazing

• insects, we chose Notonecta glauca as the model organism for further investigations on air film persistence and drag reduction. The backswimmer Notonecta glauca is surrounded by a thin film of air covering most body parts and causing a silvery sheen (Figure 1). Notonecta spp. can dive and swim quickly