BIOINSPIRED UNDERWATER SUPEROLEOPHOBIC SURFACES

Underwater superoleophobic surfaces are surfaces that display contact angle with oil droplets larger than 1500 degrees in oil/water/solid three-phase system. In this review two typical biological surfaces which own excellent superoleophobic property in water, the fish scales and lower side of lotus leaf were introduced. The key factors influencing the underwater superoleophobicity were discussed and concluded. Based on this, a design route of constructing underwater superoleophobic systems was raised. Then the fabrication approaches and recent developments of underwater superoleophobic surfaces were introduced. The intelligent underwater superoleophobic surfaces with stimuli-responsive wettability and oil adhesion were summed up briefly. The applications of underwater superoleophobic surfaces, such as oil droplets manipulation, anti-bioadhesion and oil water separation, were introduced. At the end of this review, the challenges and future developments of underwater superoleophobic system were discussed.