Shape memory superhydrophobic surface with switchable transition between “Lotus Effect” to “Rose Petal Effect”

Superhydrophobic surface with tunable water adhesion has attracted great interests due to its unique performances in manipulating the status of water stay and roll-off. Herein, inspired by two typical superhydrophobic models of rose petal and lotus leaves, a superhydrophobic surface that can reversibly transform between the Cassie-Baxter state and the Cassie impregnating state has been developed by regulating the shape memory polymer SMP micro/nanostructures. The superhydrophobic surface with intact micro/nanostructure arrays exhibits excellent self-cleaning properties with extraordinary low water adhesive force, whereas the superhydrophobic surface with compressed microstructure arrays demonstrates high water adhesion. In response to the heating triggered deforming-restoring action, the switchable superwetting transition between those two models can be easily realized by their transformed morphologies. Due to the good shape memory effect of the polymer, the structured SMP assay surfaces can display a multiply switchable transition between the “lotus-effect” and the “rose-petal effect”, revealing a great potential for rewritable liquid patterns, controlled droplet transportation.