Recent Progress and Future Directions of Multifunctional (Super)Wetting Smooth/Structured Surfaces and Coatings

Research on superwetting surfaces/coatings that artificially mimic biological surfaces/systems has a long history, and still garners significant worldwide interest as it is expected to provide superior solutions to conventional engineering approaches that attempt to solve challenges facing mankind. To broaden the utility of these superwetting surfaces/coatings, there is a strong demand for these surfaces to exhibit multiple practical functionalities. Here, the progress being made in multifunctional surfaces with superwettability is explored. In each section, state-of-the-art works are summarized and the concepts, materials, processes, and the effects of both physical (smooth or structured surfaces) and chemical (low or high surface energies) factors on the resulting surface are described. Finally, the outlook of this prospective research field is considered, and its future directions briefly discussed, with a focus on preserving longevity in both functionality and structural integrity to produce truly useful biomimetic surfaces/coatings.