Exploring the tactile and thermal behaviour of rose petals for bio-inspired material design.

Rose petals have been recognised for their superhydrophobicity and strong adhesion, a phenomenon known as the petal effect. This phenomenon has been leveraged to engineer surfaces through biomimetics. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the tactile qualities of rose petals. This research explores the thermo-haptic properties of rose petals using a combination of material testing methods, including the measurement of roughness, tactile perception, texture, compliance, and thermal properties. Except for compliance and thermal percepts, tactile properties varied between the adaxial (front) and abaxial (back) sides of the petals. The abaxial side of rose petals was rougher, coarser, stickier, and had higher friction and more heterogeneous micro/macro texture compared to the adaxial side. Low compliance values (for both sides) point to low compressibility. The thermal percepts and thermal effusivity both suggest a cooler tactile sensation compared to most dry fabrics. These data provide valuable insights into the micro and macro-scale texture, compliance, and thermal behaviour of the rose petal, shedding light on its haptic qualities. The research findings contribute to improving our understanding of the biomimicry of natural materials in terms of tactile and thermal properties. It has a huge potential to aid in improving the hand feel sensation in next-to-fit body garments, sports clothing, everyday use garments, etc. It further offers applications for various other fields, including materials science, cosmetics, and product design.