An introduction to superhydrophobicity

This paper is derived from a training session prepared for COST P21. It is intended as an introduction to superhydrophobicity to scientists who may not work in this area of physics or to students. Superhydrophobicity is an effect where roughness and hydrophobicity combine to generate unusually hydrophobic surfaces, causing water to bounce and roll off as if it were mercury and is used by plants and animals to repel water, stay clean and sometimes even to breathe underwater. The effect is also known as The Lotus Effect® and Ultrahydrophobicity. In this paper we introduce many of the theories used, some of the methods used to generate surfaces and then describe some of the implications of the effect.