Effects of Methanol on Wettability of the Non-Smooth Surface on Butterfly Wing

作     者：Yan Fang Gang Sun Qian Cong Guang-hua Chen Lu-quan Ren 

作者机构：Key Laboratory of Terrain-Machine Bionics Engineering （Ministry of Education China） Jilin University Changchun 130022 P. R. China School of Life Science Changchun Normal University Changchun 130032 P R. China 

出 版 物：《Journal of Bionic Engineering》 (仿生工程学报（英文版）)

年 卷 期：2008年第5卷第2期

页      面：127-133页

核心收录：

学科分类：0710[理学-生物学] 07[理学] 09[农学] 

基　　金：国家自然科学基金 国家教育部高等学校博士学科点专项科研基金 

主　　题：non-smooth surface butterfly wing scale wettability micro/ultra-structure 

摘      要：The contact angles of distilled water and methanol solution on the wings of butterflies were determined by a visual contact angle measuring system. The scale structures of the wings were observed using scanning electron microscopy, The influence of the scale micro- and ultra-structure on the wettability was investigated. Results show that the contact angle of distilled water on the wing surfaces varies from 134.0° to 159.2°. High hydrophobicity is found in six species with contact angles greater than 150°. The wing surfaces of some species are not only hydrophobic but also resist the wetting by methanol solution with 55% concentration. Only two species in Parnassius can not resist the wetting because the micro-structure （spindle-like shape） and ultra-structure （pinnule-like shape） of the wing scales are remarkably different from that of other species. The concentration of methanol solution for the occurrence of spreading/wetting on the wing surfaces of different species varies from 70% to 95%. After wetting by methanol solution for 10 min, the distilled water contact angle on the wing surface increases by 0.8°-2.1°, showing the promotion of capacity against wetting by distilled water.