title: Bioinspired polymer microstructures for directional transport of oily liquids.
abstract: Nature has always served as an inspiration for scientists, helping them to solve a large diversity of technical problems. In our case, we are interested in the directional transport of oily liquids and as a model for this application we used the flat bugDysodius lunatus. In this report, we present arrays of drops looking like polymer microstructures produced by the two-photon polymerization technique that mimic the micro-ornamentation from the bug's cuticle. A good directionality of oil transport was achieved, directly controlled by the direction of the pointed microstructures at the surface. If the tips of the drop-like microstructures are pointing towards the left side, the liquid front moves to the right and vice versa. Similar effects could be expected for the transport of oily lubricants. These results could, therefore, be interesting for applications in friction and wear reduction.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Applied Physics , Johannes Kepler University Linz , 4040 Linz , Austria.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Plamadeala
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedical Mechatronics , Johannes Kepler University Linz , 4040 Linz , Austria.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hischen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedical Mechatronics , Johannes Kepler University Linz , 4040 Linz , Austria.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Friesenecker
authors.affiliation: Institute of Applied Physics , Johannes Kepler University Linz , 4040 Linz , Austria.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wollhofen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Applied Physics , Johannes Kepler University Linz , 4040 Linz , Austria.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jacak
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedical Mechatronics , Johannes Kepler University Linz , 4040 Linz , Austria.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Buchberger
authors.affiliation: Tyrolean State Museum , 6020 Innsbruck , Austria.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Heiss
authors.affiliation: Institute of Applied Physics , Johannes Kepler University Linz , 4040 Linz , Austria.
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Klar
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedical Mechatronics , Johannes Kepler University Linz , 4040 Linz , Austria.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Baumgartner
authors.affiliation: Institute of Applied Physics , Johannes Kepler University Linz , 4040 Linz , Austria.
authors.forename: J
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-5608-5133
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heitz
keywords: biomimetics; directional transport; two-photon lithography