Research summary
Surface wettability phenomena observed on lotus leaves (self-cleaning), cicada wings, rice leaves (anisotropic dewetting), and water-strider legs (striking superhydrophobic force) were synthesised into design principles linking chemical composition and surface micro- and nanostructure to functional wettability for daily life, industrial, and agricultural applications [1]. The petal effect was introduced as a superhydrophobic state with high adhesive force on red-rose petals, where hierarchical micropapillae and nanofolds together create both sufficient roughness for superhydrophobicity and high adhesive force with water, so that a spherical water droplet does not roll off the inverted petal; the phenomenon was reproduced in biomimic polymer films with nanoembossed structures duplicating the petal surface in the Cassie impregnating wetting regime [2]. A novel superhydrophilic and underwater superoleophobic polyacrylamide hydrogel-coated mesh was fabricated through an oil/water/solid three-phase system, providing selective water-from-oil separation with high efficiency, oil-fouling resistance, and easy recyclability [3]. A 2015 Chemical Reviews article on bio-inspired surfaces with superwettability presented theory, design, and applications across bio-inspired smart interfacial science from the State Key Laboratory of Bio-Inspired Smart Interface Science network [4]. A teflon-coated mesh with lotus-like micro/nanostructured roughness exhibited water contact angle ~150 degrees and a near-zero diesel-oil contact angle, providing simultaneous super-hydrophobicity and super-oleophilicity for oil/water separation [5]. The fog-collection system of the cactus Opuntia microdasys was identified as well-distributed clusters of conical spines and trichomes, where each spine integrates three parts with different surface structural features that produce a Laplace-pressure gradient, a surface-free-energy gradient, and directional water transport [6]. A superoleophobic, low-adhesion solid surface was designed by mimicking the antiwetting behavior of oil droplets on fish scales in water using micro/nanohierarchical structures arranged in an oil/water/solid three-phase system [7].
Recent publications
- Water-repellent legs of water stridersDOI
- Directional water collection on wetted spider silkDOI
- Bioinspired Surfaces with Special WettabilityDOI
- Petal Effect: A Superhydrophobic State with High Adhesive ForceDOI
- Nature-inspired superwettability systemsDOI
- A Novel Superhydrophilic and Underwater Superoleophobic Hydrogel鈥怌oated Mesh for Oil/Water SeparationDOI
- Bioinspired Surfaces with Superwettability: New Insight on Theory, Design, and ApplicationsDOI
- A Super鈥怘ydrophobic and Super鈥怬leophilic Coating Mesh Film for the Separation of Oil and WaterDOI
- A multi-structural and multi-functional integrated fog collection system in cactusDOI
- Bioinspired Design of a Superoleophobic and Low Adhesive Water/Solid InterfaceDOI
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Email Lei Jiang 6-12 months before your application deadline. Read several recent papers and reference specific work in your message. Use our how to email a Japanese professor guide for the proven email structure.
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External profiles
- ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4579-728X
- OpenAlex: openalex.org
Profile compiled from public sources (Researchmap, OpenAlex, The University of Tokyo faculty directory). Last refreshed 2026-05. Report incorrect information.