Floating on oil

Abstract

We demonstrate that disk-shaped steel meshes coated with a superamphiphobic layer are able to float on water and on organic liquids. A coated disk-shaped steel mesh of 1 cm radius has a loading capacity of 17 mN in water and still remarkable 9 mN in n-hexadecane. Experimentally measured supporting forces and loading capacities agree well with theoretical predictions. Inspired by the giant water lily, pan-shaped "oil lilies" with even higher loading capacity and artificial oil striders carrying more than 10 times their own weight are designed. Even after the artificial devices are fully immersed into different liquids, they show self-draining properties due to capillary forces.