Speaker
Description
Nature acts as a remarkable artist, creator, and decorator, offering profound insights
into the mechanisms behind natural phenomena. One of its most fascinating expressions is the
self-cleaning ability of plant surfaces, which arises from the combined effects of surface
wettability and hierarchical structure. In this work, we examine how micro to nanoscale surface
textures regulate wetting states and adhesion, producing a spectrum from low adhesion to high
adhesion superhydrophobicity. Fully grown and healthy leaves from four plant species, namely
Kalanchoe, Ziziphus, Mesua, Litchi, and sword lily, are selected as natural model systems that
exhibit diverse surface morphologies and wetting responses. We investigate droplet impact
dynamics on these low and high adhesion superhydrophobic leaf surfaces, capturing behaviors
that range from rolling and sliding to bouncing and jumping. These distinct responses originate
from the balance between inertial, capillary, and adhesive forces, and are strongly influenced
by multiscale surface roughness and chemical composition. The study highlights how nature
tailors surface functionality through structural design to achieve efficient self-cleaning and
liquid mobility. The insights obtained from these natural prototypes provide valuable
guidelines for designing engineered surfaces with controlled wettability and droplet transport
characteristics. Such understanding has direct implications for applications in microfluidic
systems, anti-icing technologies, and greener pesticide spray management, where minimizing
liquid retention and enhancing droplet removal are essential for performance and sustainability.