| Abstract |
Bioinspired lubricant-infused surfaces exhibit various unique properties attributed to their liquid-like and molecularly smooth nature. Excellent liquid repellency and “slippery” properties, self-healing, antiicing, anticorrosion characteristics, enhanced heat transfer, antibiofouling, and cell-repellent properties have been already demonstrated. Herein, inspired by complex multifunctional frog skins, we try to create robust hierarchically wrinkled lubricant-infused polymer surfaces for anti-biofouling adhesion. At the first stage, by combination of degradable block copolymer self-assembly and spontaneous surface wrinkling via a dynamic thermal contraction process, a micrometer-sized wrinkled patterns with nanometer-sized pores would be fabricated. After that, lubricants would be infused into the formed nanopores, forming an anti-biofouling adhesion coating like amphibian skins. At the second stage, silicone-based copolymers would be used. Because of their liquid nature, a “fluid-like” surface should be formed after control of the thermal treatment process. The fluid-like surface is composed of polymer chains and connected with substrates by covalent bonds which should enhance the mechanical strength, achieving a durable anti-fouling coating. Based on the two fabrication approaches of lubricant-infused surfaces, we believe that ideal and effective anti-fouling coatings could be created. |
