Straightforward Fabrication of Double Roughness Structures on a Microcrystalline Film of a Diarylethene Derivative.

Double roughness structure mimicking the surface of a lotus leaf was prepared using a newly synthesized diarylethene having a six-membered perfluorocyclohexene ring. The cubic-shaped crystals of the open-ring isomer, with sizes of approximately 7 μm, appeared immediately following solution casting. Upon UV irradiation, each cubic crystal was covered with needle-shaped crystals of the closed-ring isomer to form double roughness structures within 1 h.

Friction Dynamics of Human Skin Treated with Oil under Nonlinear Motion.

Moisturization causes physiological changes that improve the barrier function of human skin and mechanical changes, including skin friction characteristics. This study evaluated petrolatum- or silicone oil-treated human skin to determine the effect of moisturizing on the friction dynamics. The friction force on the human skin was measured using a contact probe with a sinusoidal motion.

Analysis of Rowing Force of the Water Strider Middle Leg by Direct Measurement Using a Bio-Appropriating Probe and by Indirect Measurement Using Image Analysis.

Rowing force of the middle leg of a water strider is one of the important factors affecting water repellency and applications in biomimetics, biomechanics, and biology. However, many previous studies have been based on estimated leg rowing force and lack some credibility. Therefore, we tried to measure leg rowing force directly by a force transducer.

Friction Dynamics of Foams under Nonlinear Motion.

Foams are viscoelastic soft materials with complex mechanical properties. Here, we evaluated the friction dynamics of foams between acrylic plates using a sinusoidal motion friction evaluation system and we found some interesting characteristics under accelerated conditions. On a typical solid surface, a symmetrical friction profile, in which static and kinetic frictions are observed, is obtained under reciprocating nonlinear motion.

Friction dynamics of moisturized human skin under non-linear motion.

Objective: Evaluating friction in human skin is important to assess its condition and the effects of skincare cosmetics. In this study, we evaluated the friction dynamics of moisturized skin to show the effects of moisturization on its mechanical properties.

Methods: Friction force was evaluated using a sinusoidal motion friction evaluation system.

Nonlinear Friction Dynamics of Oil-in-Water and Water-in-Oil Emulsions on Hydrogel Surfaces.

In this study, the friction properties of emulsions in an oral environment were investigated to understand the food-texture recognition mechanisms occurring on biological surfaces. Numerous publications have suggested that the friction phenomena depend on friction conditions, such as the surface characteristics, as well as the shape and movement of contact probes. Traditional friction evaluation systems are unsuitable for mimicking the oral environment.

Locomotion of a Nonaqueous Liquid Marble Induced by Near-Infrared-Light Irradiation.

Micrometer-sized hydrophobic polyaniline (PANI) grains were synthesized via an aqueous chemical oxidative polymerization protocol in the presence of dopant carrying perfluoroalkyl or alkyl groups. The critical surface tensions of the PANIs synthesized in the presence of heptadecafluorooctanesulfonic acid and sodium dodecyl sulfate dopants were lower than that of PANI synthesized in the absence of dopant, indicating the presence of hydrophobic dopant on the grain surfaces. The PANI grains could adsorb to air-liquid interfaces, and aqueous and nonaqueous liquid marbles (LMs) were successfully fabricated using liquids with surface tensions ranging between 72.

Friction Dynamics of Hydrogel Substrates with a Fractal Surface: Effects of Thickness.

Interfacial phenomena on soft and wet materials, such as hydrogels, are important for modeling physical phenomena, such as friction, wetting, and adhesion on hydrophilic biosurfaces. Interfacial phenomena on soft material surfaces are not only affected by the properties of the surface but also by the geometry of the substrate. However, there are few reports on the influence of geometry and deformability on friction behavior at gel interfaces.

Light-Driven Locomotion of Bubbles.

Remotely controlling the movement of small objects is a challenging research topic, which can realize the transportation of materials. In this study, remote locomotion control of particle-stabilized bubbles on a planar water surface by near-infrared laser or sunlight irradiation is demonstrated. A light-induced Marangoni flow was utilized to induce the locomotion of the bubbles on water surface, and the timing and direction of the locomotion can be controlled by irradiation timing and direction on demand.

Crystal Growth Technique for Formation of Double Roughness Structures Mimicking Lotus Leaf.

Bio-inspired functional materials have received much attention for their potential to provide sustainable and advanced materials. The lotus effect has proven to be one of the most remarkable biomimetic effects since it was discovered by Barthlott. A superhydrophobic surface with the ability to bounce water droplets is the origin of the self-cleaning mechanism that keeps the surface clean by removing dust using water droplets moving with momentum.

Liquid Marbles in Nature: Craft of Aphids for Survival.

Some aphids that live in the leaf galls of the host plant are known to fabricate liquid marbles consisting of honeydew and wax particles as an inner liquid and a stabilizer, respectively. In this study, the liquid marbles fabricated by the galling aphids, Eriosoma moriokense, were extensively characterized with respect to size and size distribution, shape, nanomorphology, liquid/solid weight ratio, and chemical compositions. The stereo microscopy studies confirmed that the liquid marbles have a near-spherical morphology and that the number-average diameter was 368 ± 152 μm, which is 1 order of magnitude smaller than the capillary length of the honeydew.

Anomalous Friction between Agar Gels under Accelerated Motion.

Understanding the friction phenomena on a gel surface under accelerated conditions is important for the designing of functional materials. However, there are few reports on friction under such conditions. In the present study, the effects of velocity, normal force, and gel hardness on the friction force were evaluated between two agar gels under sinusoidal motion.

Photochromic Crystalline Systems Mimicking Bio-Functions.

Photoresponsive crystalline systems mimicking bio-functions are prepared using photochromic diarylethenes. Upon UV irradiation of the diarylethene crystal, the photogenerated closed-ring isomers self-aggregate to form needle-shaped crystals on the surface. The rough surface shows the superhydrophobic lotus effect.

Transfer of Materials from Water to Solid Surfaces Using Liquid Marbles.

Remotely controlling the movement of small objects is desirable, especially for the transportation and selection of materials. Transfer of objects between liquid and solid surfaces and triggering their release would allow for development of novel material transportation technology. Here, we describe the remote transport of a material from a water film surface to a solid surface using quasispherical liquid marbles (LMs).

Uphill Water Transport on a Wettability-Patterned Surface: Experimental and Theoretical Results.

In nature, there exist many functional water-controlling surfaces, such as the water-repellent surface of lotus leaves, the superhydrophobic water-adhesive surface of rose petals, the water-harvesting surface of a beetle's back, and the water-transporting surface of the legs of Ligia exotica. These natural surfaces suggest that surface chemistry and hierarchical structures are essential for controlling the water behavior. We have reported the preparation of superhydrophobic and antireflection silicon nanospike-array structures using self-organized honeycomb-patterned films as three-dimensional dry-etching masks.

Evaluation of 3D Printer Accuracy in Producing Fractal Structure.

Hierarchical structures, also known as fractal structures, exhibit advantageous material properties, such as water- and oil-repellency as well as other useful optical characteristics, owing to its self-similarity. Various methods have been developed for producing hierarchical geometrical structures. Recently, fractal structures have been manufactured using a 3D printing technique that involves computer-aided design data.

Adhesion and Disintegration Phenomena on Fractal Agar Gel Surfaces.

In the present study, mechanical phenomena on fractal agar gel were analyzed to understand the interfacial properties of hydrophilic biosurfaces. The evaluation of adhesion strength between the fractal agar gel surfaces showed that the fractal structure inhibits the adhesion between the agar gel surfaces. In addition, when the disintegration behavior of an agar gel block was observed between fractal agar gel substrates, the rough structure prevented the sliding of an agar gel block.

Fractal Surfaces of Molecular Crystals Mimicking Lotus Leaf with Phototunable Double Roughness Structures.

Double roughness structure, the origin of the lotus effect of natural lotus leaf, was successfully reproduced on a diarylethene microcrystalline surface. Static superwater-repellency and dynamic water-drop-bouncing were observed on the surface, in the manner of natural lotus leaves. Double roughness structure was essential for water-drop-bouncing.

Penetration Behavior of a Water Droplet into a Cylindrical Hydrophobic Pore.

Understanding the dynamics with which a water droplet penetrates a pore is important because of its relationship with transfer phenomena in plants and animals. Using a high-speed camera, we observe the penetration processes of a water droplet into a cylindrical pore on a silicone substrate. The force on the water droplet is generated by dropping the substrate plus water droplet from a height of several centimeters onto an acrylic resin substrate.

Photoinduced reversible formation of a superhydrophilic surface by crystal growth of diarylethene.

When visible light is irradiated onto the melted microcrystalline-surface of a diarylethene having ionic structures by UV irradiation, it induces crystal-growth of the open-ring isomer of the diarylethene; consequently, the surface covered with lumpy crystals shows superhydrophilicity that can be reversibly controlled by alternating irradiation with UV and visible light.

Buckling of Microtubules on a 2D Elastic Medium.

We have demonstrated compression stress induced mechanical deformation of microtubules (MTs) on a two-dimensional elastic medium and investigated the role of compression strain, strain rate, and a MT-associated protein in the deformation of MTs. We show that MTs, supported on a two-dimensional substrate by a MT-associated protein kinesin, undergo buckling when they are subjected to compression stress. Compression strain strongly affects the extent of buckling, although compression rate has no substantial effect on the buckling of MTs.

Theoretical Explanation of the Lotus Effect: Superhydrophobic Property Changes by Removal of Nanostructures from the Surface of a Lotus Leaf.

Theoretical study is presented on the wetting behaviors of water droplets over a lotus leaf. Experimental results are interpreted to clarify the trade-offs among the potential energy change, the local pinning energy, and the adhesion energy. The theoretical parameters, calculated from the experimental results, are used to qualitatively explain the relations among surface fractal dimension, surface morphology, and dynamic wetting behaviors.

Theoretical explanation of the photoswitchable superhydrophobicity of diarylethene microcrystalline surfaces.

Two types of superhydrophobic surfaces which show lotus and petal effects were induced on photochromic diarylethene microcrystalline surfaces by UV and visible light irradiation and temperature control. On the surfaces showing the lotus effect, a low-adhesion superhydrophobic property is attributed to the surface structure being covered with densely standing needle-shaped crystals of the closed-ring isomer. On surfaces showing the petal effect, a high-adhesion superhydrophobic surface consists of fine needle-shaped crystals with high density together with a few rod-shaped crystals, where an invasion phenomenon occurs between these rod-shaped crystals.

Wetting dynamics of colloidal dispersions on agar gel surfaces.

The effects of silica particle addition on the wetting velocity on flat and fractal agar gel surfaces were analyzed along with the applicability of such particles for controlling the wetting dynamics of water. The contact angles (θD) of the colloidal dispersions obeyed the power law, i.e.

Influence of Belousov-Zhabotinsky substrate concentrations on autonomous oscillation of polymer chains with Fe(bpy)3 catalyst.

We studied the effect of initial substrate concentrations in the Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction on the optical transmittance self-oscillation behavior of a polymer chain consisting of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) and a Fe catalyst ([Fe(bpy)3]). The driving force of this transmittance self-oscillation was the solubility difference between the reduced and oxidized states of the [Fe(bpy)3] moiety in the polymer chain. The amplitude of the soluble-insoluble self-oscillation of poly(NIPAAm-co-[Fe(bpy)3]) was significantly smaller than that of poly(NIPAAm-co-[Ru(bpy)3]).