Abstract
Scientists have been aware of the phenomenon of superwettability for more than two centuries. In 1805, British scientist Thomas Young introduced the concept of the contact angle to evaluate the wettability of liquid on a solid material surface. Superwettable materials have only become a fast-developing research area over the past two decades, with scientists beginning to investigate and mimic the micro-/nanostructures of natural superwettable materials. Elucidation of the micro-/nanostructures of natural superwettable materials, from superhydrophobic lotus leaves and superhydrophilic spider silk to superoleophobic (oil-repelling) fish scales, has greatly propelled the development of this field. Superwettable materials have found wide applications such as liquid–liquid separation, sensors and energy conversion devices. Lei Jiang, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, a fellow of The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) and a foreign member of the US National Academy of Engineering, is a pioneer in the field of bio-inspired superwettable materials. He proposed the ‘binary cooperative complementary principle’ that nanoscale structural arrangements of two materials with complementary properties can result in functional macroscopic materials, which provided a framework for the design of superwettable materials. In this recent NSR interview, Jiang discussed the theory and applications of this field over the past two decades, and reflected upon innovative scientific research in general.
Physical origin of a complicated tactile sensation: ‘
shittori
feel'