Skip to main navigation Skip to search Skip to main content

Microstructure and wettability on the elytral surface of aquatic beetle

  • Ming Xia Sun
  • , Ai Ping Liang
  • , Gregory S. Watson
  • , Jolanta A. Watson
  • , Yong Mei Zheng
  • , Lei Jiang

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

The microstructures on elytral surface of aquatic beetles belonging to Hydrophilidae and Dytiscidae were observed under an environment scanning microscope, and the wettabilities were determined with an optical contact angle meter. The results show the elytral surfaces are relatively smooth compared to the structures of other insects such as the butterfly wing scales or cicada wing protrusions. They exhibit a polygonal structuring with grooves and pores being the main constituent units. The contact angles (CAs) range from 47.1° to 82.1°. The advancing and receding angles were measured by injecting into and withdrawing a small amount of water on the most hydrophilic (with a contact angle of 47.1°) and hydrophobic (with a contact angle of 82.1°) elytral surfaces, which illustrates the vital role of three-phase contact line (TCL) in the wetting mechanism of aquatic beetle elytral surfaces.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationAdvances in Bionic Engineering
Pages731-740
Number of pages10
DOIs
StatePublished - 2014
Event4th International Conference of Bionic Engineering, ICBE 2013 - Nanjing, China
Duration: 13 Aug 201316 Aug 2013

Publication series

NameApplied Mechanics and Materials
Volume461
ISSN (Print)1660-9336
ISSN (Electronic)1662-7482

Conference

Conference4th International Conference of Bionic Engineering, ICBE 2013
Country/TerritoryChina
CityNanjing
Period13/08/1316/08/13

Keywords

  • Bionic
  • Contact angle hyteresis
  • Elytral surface
  • Microstructure
  • Wettability

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Microstructure and wettability on the elytral surface of aquatic beetle'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this