# Nepenthes pitcher plant inspired bio-polymer embedded porous surfaces for oil aquaplaning

## TL;DR

Scientists created a non-toxic, oil-repellent surface inspired by the Nepenthes pitcher plant, using a food-grade polymer that works well in humid environments.

## Contribution

A bio-friendly, oil-repellent surface using food-grade polymer and nanoporous structure, avoiding toxic materials.

## Key findings

- The bio-polymer coating enhances stability against drainage and evaporation.
- The surface repels oil and solids effectively and is compatible with humid environments.
- The surface can be replenished using nebulized water droplets.

## Abstract

The Nepenthes pitcher plant has inspired surfaces employing a liquid barrier that shields the surface from contaminants. However, such liquid-infused oil-repellent surfaces employ toxic fluorocarbons or unstable polar liquids. Here, we develop a bio-friendly oil-repellent surface using a food-grade bio-polymer coating on a nanoporous surface. By mimicking the pitcher plant’s nectar lining, the food-grade polymer absorbs water enhancing its stability against drainage and evaporation. The water-based lubricant is non-toxic, compatible with humid environments and replenishes simply by exposure to nebulized water droplets. Our surfaces demonstrate lubrication-induced oil and solid repellence and have substantial transformative potential in applications like oil-water separation, anti-fouling and food packaging.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1038/s41598-025-31041-x.