Biomimetic taro leaf-like films decorated on wood surfaces using soft lithography for superparamagnetic and superhydrophobic performance

The surfaces of plants represent multifunctional interfaces between the organisms and the environment. In this paper, biomimetic taro leaf-like structures with superparamagnetic and superhydrophobic performances were exactly copied on the wood surface through the soft lithography to improve the wood properties. Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles were mixed into poly(dimethylsiloxane) PDMS suspensions to obtain Fe₃O₄/PDMS suspensions that commonly endow coats magnetic and microwave absorption properties, which were then cast onto the wood surface and packaged by PDMS stamps replicated from fresh taro leaves. Fe₃O₄/PDMS films, which coexisted superhydrophobic surface and superparamagnetic property, were created on the wood surface after the being dried and stamps were peeled off. The as-prepared wood surface exhibited unique taro leaf-like micro- and nanostructures, microwave absorption, superparamagnetism performances with maximum saturation magnetization (M _s) of 22.9 emu g⁻¹ and superior static superhydrophobicity with a water contact angle of 152° ± 2°. This research may provide a feasible pathway for constructing naturally biomorphic structures on the wood surface with tailored functions.