Self-lubricated, liquid-like omniphobic polymer brushes: advances and strategies for enhanced fluid and solid control

Surfaces with broader resistance to liquids and solids elicited increased interest in both fundamental research and practical applications. With the technological development and breakthroughs on graft polymerization, flexible polymer chains with extremely low glass transition temperatures (around −100 °C) can be easily affixed on a smooth substrate to make self-lubricated omniphobic covalently attached liquids (SOCALs). SOCALs are emerging surfaces displaying interfacial mobility of molecular-level polymer chains through bending and rotational motions. They have shown unprecedented dynamic fluidity in sliding multiple liquids irrespective of their surface tensions. Their exceptional slipperiness has positioned them at the forefront of fields such as surface science, materials science, and biology. Understanding the underlying principles of SOCALs is crucial for harnessing their features to improve the performance of engineering systems. This review aims to comprehensively overview state-of-the-art developments of SOCALs, dissecting fundamental principles that govern surface de-wetting on these materials. It then examines the design configuration of SOCALs and how the physical characteristics of chains such as surface density, molecular weight, and structure influence their interface mobility and dynamic liquid-like quality. Finally, it highlights representative applications of SOCAL-coated materials in real-world scenarios, emphasizing the exploration of SOCAL materials as a conduit for radical advancements in materials and structural design, bridging the gap between material and interface innovation.