Superhydrophilic serial cycloid-shaped pattern (SSCP) is inspired by the micro-cavity shape of the Nepenthes, which is transported fastest in the spontaneous and directional water transportation field.

Spontaneous and directional water droplet transportation based on patterned surface with super-wettability is crucial for the development of frontier science technology. However, water droplet transportation cannot meet both long distance and fast transportation simultaneously. Here, we overcame this limitation by proposing an asymmetric serial brachistochrone-shaped pattern (ASBP). Water droplet could be transported on the ASBP with a transportation distance of 72.52 mm and a transportation velocity of 158 mm/s after a series of single-factor experiments, orthogonal design optimization, and junction transition optimization. In addition, the water droplet could be transported on a curved ASBP, a super-long ASBP for multi-droplet scenarios, and an ASBP at an inclination angle. Moreover, acidic and alkaline aqueous solution droplet showed similar transportation distance and transportation velocity on the ASBP. Based on the aforementioned superb water transportation capacity, this ASBP can be applied in the fields of fog collection, solution mixing and reaction, and reagent detection. This work has strong implications for promoting the application of patterned surface with super-wettability in the field of high-performance fluid transportation systems.

Minimizing frictional resistance and preventing the attachment of marine organisms are extremely important for global ship navigation to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. However, there is still a lack of an effective and environmentally-friendly drag reduction and antifouling method. Here, we propose a spontaneous fast-moving air film to resolve this problem. We first developed a serial brachistochrone-shaped superhydrophobic pattern to easily capture underwater air bubbles and realize the spontaneous and directional transportation of bubbles with an average velocity of 444 mm s⁻¹ that is the fastest in the whole world. Then, the continuous supply of air bubbles and serial brachistochrone-shaped superhydrophobic pattern were combined to form a spontaneous fast-moving air film, which not only prevents the escape of supplied air bubbles but also replenishes the air film on a superhydrophobic surface. The spontaneous fast-moving air film showed an amazing 27% drag reduction rate and simultaneous 80% antifouling rate, which was an outstanding capability that had never been reported before. This effective and environmentally-friendly drag reduction and antifouling method will minimize energy consumption and carbon emissions and has strong implications for global sustainable development.

Superhydrophobic nickel surfaces have significant advantages in the field of corrosion protection compared with traditional nickel corrosion protection methods which need a toxic chemical corrosion inhibitor. Electrochemical etching, an ideal method for fabricating superhydrophobic nickel surfaces, was also limited by low current density, resulting in low processing efficiency. To overcome this limitation, we proposed a new method to fabricate a superhydrophobic nickel surface using a wire electrochemical etching method. The wire electrochemical etching method accomplished the etching process by sweeping a controlled wire cathode across the surface of the anode nickel plate in an environmentally friendly neutral electrolyte, NaCl. The superhydrophobic nickel sample with a contact angle of 153° and a rolling angle of 10° could be fabricated by wire electrochemical etching and modification. Additionally, the optimal parameters of the wire electrochemical etching and the principle of superhydrophobic surface formation had also been systematically investigated, respectively. Moreover, the superhydrophobic nickel surface had self-cleaning performance, antifouling performance, corrosion protection, and abrasion resistance. Wire electrochemical etching improves the current density of processing, which means that this method improves the processing efficiency for fabricating a superhydrophobic nickel surface. This work is expected to enrich the theory and technology for fabricating superhydrophobic nickel surfaces to improve the corrosion protection of nickel.

Wearable sensors have attracted considerable interest due to their ability to detect a variety of information generated by human physiological activities t

Carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) composites, prized for their exceptional properties, often encounter surface quality issues during slotting due to their inherent heterogeneity. This paper tackles CFRP slotting challenges by employing multi-tooth mills in experiments with various fibre orientations and tool feed rates. In-plane scratching tests are performed under linearly varying loads; then, slotting experiments are conducted at different parameters. The scratching test results indicate that the fibre orientation and cutting angles have significant influences on forces and fracture process. The slotting experiments demonstrate that cutting forces and surface roughness S_a of the bottom slotting surface are notably affected by the fibre orientation, with disparities between up-milling and down-milling sides. Reorganising S_a data by local fibre cutting angle θ highlights consistent S_a variations between up-milling and down-milling sides for 0° ≤ θ ≤ 90°, with lower S_a on the up-milling side. However, for 90° < θ ≤ 150°, S_a variations diverge, with lower S_a on the down-milling side. Unexpectedly, S_a on the down-milling side decreases with increasing θ in this range. Additionally, the tool feed rate exerts a more pronounced influence on S_a on the up-milling side.