Characterization of the Topography and Wettability of English Weed Leaves and Biomimetic Replicas

The topography and wettability of the underside of English weed （Oxalis pes-caprae） leaves and of their biomimetic replicas are investigated. Polyvinyl siloxane molds were cast from the leaves and then filled with an epoxy pre-polymer to produce replicas. The particular topographical structures of leaves and replicas were evaluated by optical microscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy （SEM） analysis. The static wettability of leaves and replicas was assessed by contact angle measurements, while the dynamic wettability was characterized by estimating contact angle hysteresis and studying the dynamic behavior of impacting water droplets. A smooth glass slip and its replica were used as control surfaces. The replica moulding method used was able to transfer the characteristic pattern of irregular 100 μm - 200 μm × 60 μm convex papillae interspersed with stomata of the original leaf to the epoxy replicas. The static contact angle of 143°± 3° and the contact angle hysteresis of 2~ indicate that the underside of the English weed leaf is close to superhydrophobic. The lower contact angles （130° ± 4°） and higher hysteresis （31°） observed for the replica when compared with the original leaves were associated to an inaccurate replication of the chemistry and structures of the three-dimensional wax projections covering the plant surface. Also, trichomes in the original leaves could not be accurately reproduced due to their flexibility and fragility. Differences in wetting behavior were also evident from droplet impact experiments, with rebound regimes prevailing in the original leaves and regimes characterized by higher adhesion and larger dissipation predominating in the replicas. Nevertheless, the morphological features of the leaf transferred to the replica were sufficient to promote a clear hydrophobic behavior of the replica when compared with the smooth epoxy reference surface.     

城市绿化植物叶片表面特征对滞尘能力的影响

以西安市21种常见绿化植物为对象,采用人工降尘方法测定植物叶片的最大滞尘量,研究植物叶片表面绒毛、润湿性、表面自由能及其分量对滞尘能力的影响.结果表明： 21种供试植物叶片的最大滞尘量在0.8～38.6 g·m^-2,不同树种最大滞尘量差异显著,物种间相差40倍以上.叶片表面绒毛数量及其形态、分布特征对滞尘能力具有重要影响,可能与绒毛和颗粒物间的作用方式有关.除叶片表面着生绒毛的悬铃木、国槐、榆叶梅和毛梾4个物种外,其他植物叶片接触角与最大滞尘量均呈显著负相关.接触角较小、易润湿的植物叶片最大滞尘量在2.0～8.0 g·m^-2,而接触角较大的银杏、三叶草、紫叶小檗和鸡爪槭的最大滞尘量均＜2.0 g·m^-2.叶片表面自由能主要表现分子间色散力的作用,而极性分量对表面自由能的贡献低于20%,可能与叶片表面含有的非极性或弱极性物质有关.最大滞尘量与叶片表面自由能及其色散分量呈显著正相关,而与极性分量的相关关系不显著.