More evidence of the crucial roles of surface superhydrophobicity in free and safe maneuver of water strider

This letter presents a study of the effect of surface superhydrophobicity on piercing force and detaching force of water strider's leg when it vertically contact with water surface. We showed that in contrast to the parallel contact of the leg with water at which the piercing force is insensitive to the contact angle which raised much debate on the functions of superhydrophobicity of water strider's leg, the piercing force of the vertical contact is, however, very sensitive to the contact angle, which then suggests the surface superhydrophobicity is indeed crucial for water strider's free and safe activities on water surface. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3673326]