The Slipperiest Material In The World vs The Stickiest

Summary by Krater

This video tests whether super glue can adhere to slippery tropical pitcher plants, examining why pitcher plants are slippery and testing adhesion on different parts of the plant.

From the video

Answers: What happens when you try to super glue a pitcher plant?

• tropical pitcher plants
• super glue adhesion tests
• wax crystals on pitcher plants
• SLIPS lubricating surface technology

What it concludes

• Super glue sticks to the non-slippery parts of a pitcher plant and to itself, but does not stick to the slippery parts of the plant.
• The slipperiness of the inner neck is caused by wax crystals with a surface roughness too rough for adhesion but not rough enough for glue attachment.
• The slipperiness of the rim is due to a microscopic structure that keeps the entire surface wetted by rain or nectar.
• SLIPS stands for slippery liquid-infused porous surface, mimicking plant lubrication to repel both oil and water.