Biomimetic surfaces with ordered nano-structures, such as insect wings, leaves and petals of plants typically present properties beyond the limits of current synthetic technologies. The well-known non-wetting property of lotus leaves has been attributed to a rough surface with hierarchical nano-structures covered with hydrophobic substances. Herein, we report a simple and direct route for fabricating robust biomimetic surfaces with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) through solvent-evaporation-driven self-assembly processes on a negative silicon rubber template of natural leaves. This biomimetic rGO surface presented an increased water droplet contact angle (CA) of 132.7��1.1� compared to 63.4��0.6� of the pristine rGO surface, while a similar conductivity as measured on vacuum-filtration rGO sample was observed. The size of rGO nano-sheets and the solvent used for rGO dispersion greatly affected conductivity and hydrophobicity of the resulting surface. Scanning electron microscopy images clearly showed that the highly ordered multi-scale structures of the natural leaf had been successfully reprinted on a bilayer film with rGO surface and polymer substrate. Flexibility of this bilayer film could be tuned by changing the polymer used for the substrate layer. Conductivity could be improved through a hybrid of carbon black, poly-aniline, carbon nanotubes and other conductive materials followed a similar fabrication process. 

Fabricating biomimetic surfaces using non-wetting natural leaves as templates

248th National Meeting (2014)

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