MAE 589 608 Bio-Inspired Surfaces

3 Credit Hours

This course will present and analyze the surfaces of a wide range of biological species, including lotus leaves, rose petals, water striders, arctic spring tails, sharks, desert beetles, and pitcher plant leaves. We will understand the unique surface functionality associated with each of these biological species by examining the roles of surface composition and surface texture. Subsequently, we will discuss how this fundamental understanding can be used to design bio-inspired surfaces for various applications such as spill resistant fabrics, microrobots, stain resistant displays, drag reduction, fog harvesting and de-icing.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, each student will be able to:

• Identify and describe the unique surface functionalities associated with a wide range of biological species.
• Explain the fundamental concepts of surface and interfacial energies, contact angle, reentrant texture, hierarchical structure, superhydrophobicity, superoleophobicity, icephobicity, nucleation and slip length.
• Use equations for Cassie-Baxter state (single scale and hierarchical structures), Wenzel state, Vollmer’s nucleation theory and Stokes’ drag in order to analyze surfaces.
• Determine the appropriate surface composition (materials) and surface texture to obtain the desired surface functionality.
• Apply the principles learned in this course to design bio-inspired surfaces for various applications such as spill resistant fabrics, microrobots, stain resistant displays, drag reduction, fog harvesting and de-icing.

Course Requirements

Homework		20%
Exams (Two take home exams; neither during finals week)		40%
Project Presentation		40%

Textbook

There is no specific textbook. The lecture slides will be posted on Moodle and you will be pointed to the relevant book chapters and journal papers as and when appropriate.

Updated 10/08/2020