Learning from nature, Lei Jiang established the basic principles of superwettability for interfacial materials systems. He determined that: static wetting is determined by the cooperative effect of nanostructure and surface energy; the transition point of the superlyophilicity and superlyophobicity on the nanostructure is the lyophilicity-lyophobicity limitation; and that the direction of liquid transport is regulated by chemical composition gradient, rough gradient, and curvature gradient, among many other factors. More than ten superwetting interfacial material systems have been applied to various fields including energy, health, resources, the environment, material and chemical industry. In 2021, superwettability technology was selected by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) as one of the top ten emerging technologies in chemistry, recognising its potential to foster the well-being of society and the sustainability of the Planet.