title: Fouling of nanostructured insect cuticle: adhesion of natural and artificial contaminants.
abstract: The adhesional properties of contaminating particles of scales of various lengths were investigated for a wide range of micro- and nanostructured insect wing cuticles. The contaminating particles consisted of artificial hydrophilic (silica) and spherical hydrophobic (C(18)) particles, and natural pollen grains. Insect wing cuticle architectures with an open micro-/nanostructure framework demonstrated topographies for minimising solid-solid and solid-liquid contact areas. Such structuring of the wing membranes allows for a variety of removal mechanisms to contend with particle contact, such as wind and self-cleaning droplet interactions. Cuticles exhibiting high contact angles showed considerably lower particle adhesional forces than more hydrophilic insect surfaces. Values as low as 3 nN were recorded in air for silica of ~28 nm in diameter and <25 nN for silica particles 30 μm in diameter. A similar adhesional trend was also observed for contact with pollen particles.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy and Molecular Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia.
authors.forename: Hsuan-Ming
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Jolanta A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.forename: Bronwen W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Cribb
authors.forename: Gregory S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Watson
mesh_terms: D000268:Adhesiveness; D000818:Animals; D057219:Biofouling; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D007313:Insecta / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010316:Particle Size; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D013499:Surface Properties; D014921:Wings, Animal / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*
chemical_list: D012822:Silicon Dioxide