Freiburg research team develops artificial surfaces insects cannot stick to
Beetles, cockroaches, and ants will have a harder time walking on facades or air conditioners in the future – thanks to the bio-inspired, anti-adhesive surfaces Prof. Dr. Thomas Speck, Dr. Bettina Prüm, and Dr. Holger Bohn are developing together with the Plant Biomechanics Group of the University of Freiburg. The team studied plant surfaces in order to determine what influence cell form and microstructure as well as surface chemistry exert on the adhesion behavior of insects.
The researchers conducted adhesion experiments in which Colorado potato beetles walked across differently structured plant surfaces as well as replicas made of synthetic resins. The team used a highly sensitive sensor to measure the traction forces of the beetles on various surfaces. They discovered that wavy or strongly curved cells can increase the adhesive powers of beetles, whereas microstructures composed of wax crystals or cuticular folds reduce them. The latter are tiny folds in the cuticle, a protective layer on the surface of the leaf resembling polyester. The beetles had the hardest time walking on surfaces with cuticular folds with a height and width of approximately 0.5 micrometers and a spacing of between 0.5 and 1.5 micrometers. “That is the perfect anti-adhesion surface. The insects slip off of it much easier than off glass,” says project director Thomas Speck. The cuticular folds reduce the contact area between the adhesive hairs on the beetles’ legs and the plant surface. Unlike on more coarsely structured surfaces, the beetle can’t dig its feet firmly into the cuticular folds. Thus, the microstructure of the surface has a stronger effect on the adhesion of the beetle than the cell form.
The team also took contact angle measurements to investigate the wettability of the various surfaces. The researchers used hydrophobic and hydrophilic artificial moldings of the microstructured plant surfaces in order to study the influence of the surface chemistry on surface wettability and the beetles’ walking behavior. Much like wax crystals, cuticular folds are very good at repelling water. In contrast to the wettability, which depends on both the microstructure and the surface chemistry, the walking behavior of the beetles is not influenced by the surface chemistry. This means that the beetle’s adhesive power depends solely on the physical microstructure of the surface.
Speck and his team published their findings in the current issue of the journal Acta Biomaterialia. In the future, the anti-adhesion surfaces could be used to line the ventilation pipes of air conditioners, which are often teeming with cockroaches and other insects. In addition, they could also be applied to facades and window frames to prevent insects that move predominantly by walking from entering the house and invading the cupboard and medicine cabinet. “This aspect is particularly important in the tropics,” says Speck.
The Latest Bing News on:
Anti-adhesion surfaces
- Novel T-cell engager, CDH17 X CD3 cabotamig (ARB202) continues to explore dosing in patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancerson April 26, 2024 at 6:00 am
The second DMC review recommends the continuation of dose escalation in the clinical trial as per protocol. The interim safety assessment was based on the review of safety data from 18 metastatic ...
- Al-Futtaim Lexus launches the luxury hybrid UX 300hon April 23, 2024 at 4:35 am
The 2024 UX 300h becomes the first Lexus vehicle powered by the fifth-generation Lexus Hybrid System, which pairs the inline four-cylinder 2.0-liter gas engine with two motor-generators through a ...
- Gear Hugger, Maker of Eco-Friendly Home and Garage Innovations, Introduces Dry Bike Lubricanton April 19, 2024 at 5:37 am
Gear Hugger, a brand created to preserve your favorite gear and protect the planet, today announces the launch of its latest sustainable innovation: Dry Bike Lubricant. Using a non-toxic, plant-based ...
- Electromigration Concerns Grow In Advanced Packageson April 18, 2024 at 7:53 am
Of particular concern is electromigration, which is becoming more troublesome in advanced packages with multiple chiplets, where various bonding and interconnect schemes create abrupt changes in ...
- Hot Products For Spring 2024on April 16, 2024 at 2:34 am
Springtime is more than just blooming flowers and warmer weather—it’s also the season when the construction and home improvement industries come alive! As the days lengthen and the sun shines brighter ...
- Rising antibiotic resistance prompts shift to ecological research strategies in infection controlon April 12, 2024 at 5:22 am
The need to enhance research on the interactions between bacterial pathogens and commensals within human microbiomes.
- Best bathroom sealants to protect your fixtures and fittingson November 7, 2023 at 11:15 am
Clean the surface so it’s free of any debris or residue ... adhesive strips are an excellent alternative. This waterproof and anti-mould tape can be cut to size and used to protect cracks in exactly ...
The Latest Google Headlines on:
Anti-adhesion surfaces
[google_news title=”” keyword=”Anti-adhesion surfaces” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
The Latest Bing News on:
Hydrophobic materials
- Is Water Wet? The Answer is Surprisingly Elusiveon April 26, 2024 at 12:02 pm
It depends on the properties of water, the definition of wetness, and whether you can trust when your senses inform you if something is wet or not.
- Reducing embodied carbon in concrete constructionon April 25, 2024 at 12:15 am
Mixing water-repelling pore blockers with concrete helps minimize a project’s carbon footprint while maximizing the lifetime of new construction.
- New Physics at Play: Physicists Discover a New Force Acting on Water Droplets Moving Over Superhydrophobic Surfaceson April 20, 2024 at 9:13 pm
Researchers at Aalto University have discovered a new force acting on water droplets moving over superhydrophobic surfaces like black silicon by adapting a novel force measurement technique to uncover ...
- Hydrophobic Coatings Market Size to Reach US$2.6 Bn in 2031, up from US$1.8 Bn attained in 2024on April 18, 2024 at 7:36 am
Poised to Record Sales of US$2.6Bn in 2031, Global Hydrophobic Coatings Market is Forecasted to Secure a CAGR of 5.39% Attributed to the Increasing Infrastructure Development and Expanding Electronics ...
- Our Place just came out with a Titanium Always Pan Pro that will ‘change how you cook forever’on April 17, 2024 at 1:19 pm
The always-popular Our Place Always Pan is disrupting the home-chef industry yet again with the debut of a new nonstick pan that's "constructed, not coated." Here's where to buy it before it sells out ...
- Physicists explain, and eliminate, unknown force dragging against water droplets on superhydrophobic surfaceson April 16, 2024 at 7:18 am
Microscopic chasms forming a sea of conical jagged peaks stipple the surface of a material called black silicon. While it's commonly found in solar cell tech, black silicon also moonlights as a tool ...
- New Understanding of Metallopolymers Could Improve Materials Recyclingon April 14, 2024 at 5:00 pm
“We found that solvation does indeed play a role: PVFc, the more hydrophobic polymer ... guide the development of better systems that involve ion separations such as materials recycling and metal ...
- Researchers study effects of solvation and ion valency on metallopolymerson April 13, 2024 at 3:54 am
In a new paper published in JACS Au, researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign analyzed the effects of solvation and ion valency on metallopolymers, with implications for critical ...
- Scientists take a swing at baseball uniforms’ sweat stain issueon April 11, 2024 at 5:00 pm
The chemical route consists of coatings that combine hydrophilic and hydrophobic materials to draw sweat away from the skin. Hinestroza says that, from what he sees in the pictures, the MLB uniforms ...
- The Best Way to Remove Gum From Carpeton April 10, 2024 at 5:00 pm
To break it up, dissolve it using another hydrophobic material, like WD-40. (The WD-40 technique should be a quicker fix than the ice technique, because you won’t have to wait around for the gum ...
The Latest Google Headlines on:
Hydrophobic materials
[google_news title=”” keyword=”hydrophobic materials” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]