Liquids entrapped within a nanostructured solid begin to exhibit unique behaviors often providing the surrounding material with unprecedented properties. Recently we have introduced a new technology to create self-healing, anti-fouling materials (so-called Slippery, Lubricant-Infused Porous Surfaces, or SLIPS).  These bioinspired coatings, which mimic slippery surfaces of a pitcher plant, outperform state-of-the-art materials in their ability to resist ice and microbial adhesion, repel various simple and complex liquids, prevent marine fouling, or reduce drag. Generalized chemical design principles to create stable, shear-tolerant SLIPS on metals, ceramics, glass, fabrics and polymers will be discussed.  We anticipate that slippery surfaces can find important applications as antifouling materials in medicine, construction, naval and aircraft industries, fluid handling and transportation, optical sensing, and as antifouling surfaces against highly contaminating media operating in extreme environments.

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