journal article·2026-07-08

Mimicking Nature to Achieve Rapid Liquid Absorption of Material

Ye Xu, Lifang Ma, Yongyu Zha, Jianchao Li, Jiangzhen Guo, Yubo Fan, Chunjing Tao

ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces· Volume 18· Issue 26
Publisher page

Abstract

Over billions of years of evolution, numerous organisms in nature have demonstrated exceptional liquid management capabilities through the synergistic optimization of micro- and nanoscale surface structures coupled with complex chemical compositions. These natural phenomena provide abundant inspiration for the design of artificial functional materials. This Review systematically summarizes the research progress in the field of bionic rapid liquid absorption materials, with a focus on elucidating the core design principles underlying these materials. Representative biological cases exhibiting efficient liquid absorption capacities and their corresponding bionic inspirations are categorized and analyzed. Additionally, mainstream bionic fabrication strategies are summarized comprehensively. On the basis of this foundation, the paper further provides a forward-looking perspective on the application potential of these materials in critical areas, alongside an in-depth analysis of the key technological challenges faced and prospective development directions.
Source: openalex_inverted_index · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: Surface Modification and Superhydrophobicity · Adsorption and biosorption for pollutant removal · Solar-Powered Water Purification Methods

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

School of Engineering Medicine

Beihang University

School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering

Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering

Shen Yuan College

References (100+)

Show source-provided references
1. 10.1021/la403406310.1021/la4034063 ↗
2. 10.1002/adma.20241336410.1002/adma.202413364 ↗
3. 10.1016/j.isci.2023.10679610.1016/j.isci.2023.106796 ↗
4. 10.1021/acsami.7b1892710.1021/acsami.7b18927 ↗
5. 10.1021/acsami.1c2302410.1021/acsami.1c23024 ↗
6. 10.1021/acsami.4c1509410.1021/acsami.4c15094 ↗
7. 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.13095410.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.130954 ↗
8. 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2025.13792910.1016/j.colsurfa.2025.137929 ↗
9. 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.17936610.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179366 ↗
10. 10.1016/j.surfin.2023.10274610.1016/j.surfin.2023.102746 ↗
11. 10.1007/s11426-009-0087-y10.1007/s11426-009-0087-y ↗
12. 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.02.11610.1016/j.jcis.2023.02.116 ↗
13. 10.3390/polym1708101310.3390/polym17081013 ↗
14. 10.1007/s42757-024-0235-910.1007/s42757-024-0235-9 ↗
15. 10.1002/adma.20250211810.1002/adma.202502118 ↗
16. 10.1007/s44154-022-00054-110.1007/s44154-022-00054-1 ↗
17. 10.1039/D3TA01839C10.1039/D3TA01839C ↗
18. 10.1016/S0940-9602(98)80080-010.1016/S0940-9602(98)80080-0 ↗
19. 10.1002/advs.20250150010.1002/advs.202501500 ↗
20. 10.1163/156856192X0062910.1163/156856192X00629 ↗
21. 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c0333910.1021/acs.langmuir.3c03339 ↗
22. 10.1016/j.cocis.2017.12.00610.1016/j.cocis.2017.12.006 ↗
23. 10.1021/la034468210.1021/la0344682 ↗
24. 10.1021/jp504070e10.1021/jp504070e ↗
25. 10.1016/j.jmrt.2023.01.01510.1016/j.jmrt.2023.01.015 ↗
26. 10.1038/3510210810.1038/35102108 ↗
27. 10.1016/j.mtnano.2019.10003410.1016/j.mtnano.2019.100034 ↗
28. 10.1038/s41467-023-43921-910.1038/s41467-023-43921-9 ↗
29. 10.1039/d4py00931b10.1039/d4py00931b ↗
30. 10.1016/j.mssp.2024.10901310.1016/j.mssp.2024.109013 ↗
31. 10.1039/D4MH00913D10.1039/D4MH00913D ↗
32. 10.3390/biomimetics902010210.3390/biomimetics9020102 ↗
33. 10.1017/S002211200200126X10.1017/S002211200200126X ↗
34. 10.1209/0295-5075/79/5600510.1209/0295-5075/79/56005 ↗
35. 10.46690/capi.2021.02.0110.46690/capi.2021.02.01 ↗
36. 10.1007/BF0254735410.1007/BF02547354 ↗
37. 10.1006/aima.2000.193710.1006/aima.2000.1937 ↗
38. Batchelor G. K. · 200010.1017/CBO9780511800955 ↗
39. 10.1103/PhysRev.17.27310.1103/PhysRev.17.273 ↗
40. 10.1038/nature1718910.1038/nature17189 ↗
41. 10.1098/rsif.2015.041510.1098/rsif.2015.0415 ↗
42. 10.1016/j.susoc.2021.09.00410.1016/j.susoc.2021.09.004 ↗
43. 10.1016/j.matt.2022.11.02110.1016/j.matt.2022.11.021 ↗
44. 10.1002/adma.20240897710.1002/adma.202408977 ↗
45. 10.1016/j.jece.2025.12078110.1016/j.jece.2025.120781 ↗
46. 10.1002/recl.1884003100310.1002/recl.18840031003 ↗
47. 10.1002/andp.1855170010510.1002/andp.18551700105 ↗
48. 10.1016/S0032-3861(98)00095-010.1016/S0032-3861(98)00095-0 ↗
49. 10.1007/s11696-022-02236-710.1007/s11696-022-02236-7 ↗
50. 10.1016/j.foodchem.2022.13412110.1016/j.foodchem.2022.134121 ↗
51. 10.1080/10601325.2024.239359910.1080/10601325.2024.2393599 ↗
52. 10.1002/adma.20241137210.1002/adma.202411372 ↗
53. 10.1021/acsapm.3c0010910.1021/acsapm.3c00109 ↗
54. 10.1046/j.1095-8312.2002.00099.x10.1046/j.1095-8312.2002.00099.x ↗
55. 10.3389/fchem.2022.100961610.3389/fchem.2022.1009616 ↗
56. 10.3390/polym1604050110.3390/polym16040501 ↗
57. 10.1002/adma.20240537210.1002/adma.202405372 ↗
58. 10.1016/j.compscitech.2017.08.01610.1016/j.compscitech.2017.08.016 ↗
59. 10.1021/acs.macromol.2c0191610.1021/acs.macromol.2c01916 ↗
60. 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e1468210.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14682 ↗
61. 10.1038/srep0806410.1038/srep08064 ↗
62. 10.1016/j.polymer.2024.12756310.1016/j.polymer.2024.127563 ↗
63. 10.1002/adfm.20231452010.1002/adfm.202314520 ↗
64. 10.1017/S002211208600034410.1017/S0022112086000344 ↗
65. 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c0329210.1021/acs.langmuir.3c03292 ↗
66. Gennes P.-G. · 200410.1007/978-0-387-21656-0 ↗
67. 10.1016/j.cocis.2021.10144110.1016/j.cocis.2021.101441 ↗
68. 10.1103/PhysRevApplied.2.03400210.1103/PhysRevApplied.2.034002 ↗
69. 10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2018.07.11410.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2018.07.114 ↗
70. 10.1039/D2TA00242F10.1039/D2TA00242F ↗
71. 10.1038/s41467-025-60341-z10.1038/s41467-025-60341-z ↗
72. 10.1007/s10265-019-01089-810.1007/s10265-019-01089-8 ↗
73. 10.1140/epje/i2014-14109-y10.1140/epje/i2014-14109-y ↗
74. 10.1017/S143192761900621410.1017/S1431927619006214 ↗
75. 10.1111/pce.1494210.1111/pce.14942 ↗
76. 10.1093/plcell/koab11510.1093/plcell/koab115 ↗
77. 10.1038/nature0872910.1038/nature08729 ↗
78. 10.1002/admt.20250048710.1002/admt.202500487 ↗
79. 10.1038/nplants.2016.7610.1038/nplants.2016.76 ↗
80. 10.1038/534155d10.1038/534155d ↗
81. 10.1039/D3TA00370A10.1039/D3TA00370A ↗
82. 10.1126/science.abg755210.1126/science.abg7552 ↗
83. 10.1039/D2BM01599D10.1039/D2BM01599D ↗
84. 10.1002/admi.20180080210.1002/admi.201800802 ↗
85. 10.3762/bjnano.2.2410.3762/bjnano.2.24 ↗
86. 10.1126/science.115602310.1126/science.1156023 ↗
87. 10.1166/jnn.2020.1757010.1166/jnn.2020.17570 ↗
88. 10.1098/rsif.2011.084710.1098/rsif.2011.0847 ↗
89. 10.1038/s41563-018-0171-910.1038/s41563-018-0171-9 ↗
90. 10.1098/rspb.2012.183710.1098/rspb.2012.1837 ↗
91. 10.1038/s41467-025-60203-810.1038/s41467-025-60203-8 ↗
92. 10.1111/nph.1960810.1111/nph.19608 ↗
93. 10.1021/acsami.3c0286710.1021/acsami.3c02867 ↗
94. 10.3732/ajb.93.9.125110.3732/ajb.93.9.1251 ↗
95. 10.1371/journal.pone.012117010.1371/journal.pone.0121170 ↗
96. 10.1093/aob/mcl13310.1093/aob/mcl133 ↗
97. 10.1093/jexbot/52.363.202310.1093/jexbot/52.363.2023 ↗
98. 10.3390/plants1323340610.3390/plants13233406 ↗
99. 10.1021/acs.langmuir.6b0217310.1021/acs.langmuir.6b02173 ↗
100. 10.1073/pnas.231175512010.1073/pnas.2311755120 ↗