Bioinspired hierarchical structures for superhydrophobic polyethylene

Inspired by natural structures, this study successfully developed innovative composites through the strategic integration of biomimetic concepts and advanced material engineering techniques. Using plasma-treated polyethylene (PPE) film as the substrate, hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate (HDP) as the bioinspired adhesive layer, and modified talc (osTalc) as the functional modifier, a series of PPE@HDP@osTalc composites were fabricated via an optimized spray-coating process. The as-prepared composite demonstrates exceptional superhydrophobicity and mechanical flexibility. Chemical stability assessment of the PPE@HDP@osTalc composites demonstrated strong interfacial bonding between the PPE, HDP, and osTalc components. The development of this bioinspired smart composite not only provides new insights for designing functional materials but also demonstrates significant potential for applications in emerging fields such as flexible electronics, marine engineering, and biomedical devices.