Abstract:
Over the last decades, it has been demonstrated that micro-nanostructuring of the solid-state
materials is a powerful tool for developing surfaces with controlled hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity.
The research has been inspired by nature, in particular by the so-called “lotus effect” describing a
superhydrophobic state with antiadhesive properties allowing water droplets to bounce on a lotus
leaf. Development of superhydrophobic surfaces with designed adhesion prove to be important for
various applications such as self-cleaning, deicing, vapor condensation / water collection, controlled
droplet transportation etc. We used combined top-down and bottom-up technological approaches
for engineering micro-nanostructured surfaces with controlled hydrophobic-hydrophilic
characteristics. In this work, promising hybrid solid-state nanomaterials consisting of hydrophobic
and hydrophilic components will be demonstrated. Besides, we will address the prospects for using
the developed nanomaterials for the purpose of manufacturing mini-bioreactors to study living cells
in specific confined conditions as well as artificial membranes resembling the membranes of living
cells.