Benetzungseigenschaften von Pflanzenoberflächen

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Stephan Herminghaus
• Subject Area: Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics
• Term: from 2000 to 2006
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 5234056

How does a drop of dew form on a plant leaf? This question points directly to the amazing wetting properties of many biological surfaces, in particular plants. They have received great interest recently in connection with the so-called "lotus-effect", i e the ability of several plants to make water bead off completely and thereby wash the leaf very effectively. Although this effect may be observed every day and is of great technological importance, as for the effective use of insecticides, its basic mechanisms are not at all understood. We want to investigate these mechanisms by means of the modern experimental tools which have been developed in recent years.

• DFG Programme: Priority Programmes
• Subproject of: SPP 1052: Benetzung und Strukturbildung an Grenzflächen