Towards Understanding Wetting Transitions on Biomimetic Surfaces: Scaling Arguments and Physical Mechanisms

Biomimetic hierarchical surfaces demonstrate a potential for a variety of green technologies, including energy conversion and conservation, due to their remarkable water repellence. The design of such surfaces allowing emerging green applications remains a challenging scientific and technological task. Understanding the physical mechanism of wetting transitions is crucial for design of highly stable superhydrophobic materials. The main experimental and theoretical approaches to wetting transitions are reviewed. General scaling arguments shedding light on the complicated physics of wetting transitions are supplied. Reducing the microstructural scales is the most efficient measure needed to enlarge the threshold pressure of a wetting transition. The trends of future investigations are envisaged.