Fabrications and Applications of Slippery Liquid-infused Porous Surfaces Inspired from Nature: A Review

The slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces inspired by the microstructure of carnivorous nepenthes have aroused widespread attention, which show stable liquid repellency, glorious self-repairing powers and effective anti-fouling properties. The surfaces are manufactured via the infusion of lubricant oil into porous structures, a process which allows other fluids to slide off the interfaces readily. However, the practical applications of slippery liquid-infused surfaces are limited to the complicated preparation processes and poor oil lock ability. We aim to, in this review, present the fundamental theories of the slippery liquid-infused porous surface. Some typical natural examples are clarified while representative fabricating methods such as liquid flame spray, layer-by-layer assembly, lithography and so on are listed. The slippery surface can facilitate the manufacture of transparent and multi-functional slippery materials by means of straightforward procedures. The slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces were applied in hot water repellency, anti-fouling, ice-phobic, water condensation, control of underwater bubble transport and drag reduction. This article discusses all these issues along with emerging applications as well as future challenges.