1,721,256 research outputs found
Bacilli, green algae, diatoms and red blood cells - how biology inspires novel materials in nanoarchitectural applications
No full textBiogenic material with functional units in the micro- and nanometer regime has already inspired novel
micro- and nanotechnological applications [1].
Examples presented comprise
. scanning force spectroscopy investigations on UV-resistant bacterial spores, showing distinct
differences in indentation depth to UV-sensitive spores [2],
. highly efficient biogenic single photon detectors [3],
. natural micromechanical systems made of nanostructured silica [4],
. a novel method for rapid screening of diabetes in lab-on-a-chip applications, based on
nanodiagnostics on red blood cells performed with atomic force spectroscopic methods [5],
and
. the application of bioinspired nanotechnology in architecture and building industry.
The outlook and discussion will deal with the possible activation of architectural elements by
integration of sensing and actuation devices and nanotechnology in building technology (filters etc)
and bioinspired nanotechnology still in the research stage.
References:
[1] Gebeshuber I.C. (2007) "Biotribology inspires new technologies", invited article, Nano Today
2(5), 30-37, doi:10.1016/S1748-0132(07)70141-X
[2] Hekele O., Goesselsberger C.G., Brandstetter M., Aumayr M., Sommer R. and Gebeshuber I.C.
"Atomic force microscopy and spectroscopy study of the sporulation of Bacillus subtilis", under
review
[3] Gruenberger C., Ritter R., Aumayr F., Stachelberger H. and Gebeshuber I.C. (2007) "Algal
biophysics: Euglena gracilis investigated by atomic force microscopy", Mat. Sci. Forum 555, 411-
416
[4] Gebeshuber I.C. and Crawford R.M. (2006) "Micromechanics in biogenic hydrated silica: hinges
and interlocking devices in diatoms", Proc. IMechE Part J: J. Eng. Tribol. 220(J8), 787-796
[5] Hekele O., Goesselsberger C.G. and Gebeshuber I.C. "Nanodiagnostics performed on human red
blood cells with the atomic force microscope", under review
Microfluidic simulation of a colonial diatom chain reveals pumping behaviour
No full textDiatoms are single-celled organisms with rigid parts in relative motion at the micrometer scale and below. Some species such as Rutilaria philippinarum form colonies that are several cells long. Inspired by recent studies on the linking structures that connect sibling cells [1, see figure] a two-dimensional finite element model was established. In this model, the cell size is 140.m*34.m, the distance between cells varies from 10.m to 30.m, and the colony has infinite length: the model "unit cell" comprises ten cells with periodic boundary conditions. Undisturbed fluid flow between the single cells is allowed for in this first simple model. The cells do not move actively, and are solely moved by the water. The initial fluid velocity varies between 0.01m/s and 1m/s. Stationary solutions of the model starting from equidistant cells shows pairing of neighbouring cells. On the other hand, starting the calculations from already paired cells shows the opposite effect: the pairs tend to reach the equidistant state again. From this result it is concluded that the alternation between these two stationary states causes an oscillatory movement of the chain. These modelling attempts might have laid a bio-inspired basis for a novel type of pumps in the micrometer length scale [2,3].
[1] Gebeshuber I.C. and Crawford R.M. (2006) "Micromechanics in biogenic hydrated silica: hinges and interlocking devices in diatoms", Proc. IMechE Part J: J. Eng. Tribol. 220(J8), 787-796.
[2] Gebeshuber I.C. (2007) "Biotribology inspires new technologies", invited article, Nano Today 2(5), 30-37.
[3] Gebeshuber I.C. and Drack M. "An attempt to reveal synergies between biology and engineering mechanics", IMechE Part C: J. Mech. Eng. Sci., in press.
Natural MEMS, glassy rubberbands and self-healing adhesives - a glance at diatoms, and what they can teach us
No full textDiatoms are single celled algae that have been evolutionarily optimized for the last 50 million years or more.
Via biomineralization, they build delicate naturally nanostructured silica shells. In many diatoms, hinges and interlocking devices on the micrometer scale and below serve as inter- and intracell connections. Ellerbeckia arenaria is a diatom that lives in waterfalls. Cell colonies of this species can be elongated by about 1/3 of their original length, their silica shells will not break, and they snap back like a rubberband. The strong biogenic adhesive certain diatoms use to attach to surfaces reveals self-healing multi-modal properties on the single molecule level.
Regarding diatoms as model systems yields valuable input for novel emerging technologies such as micro- and nanoelectromechanical systems (MEMS and NEMS) and adhesive technologies.
References:
Gebeshuber I.C. and Crawford R.M. (2006) Micromechanics in biogenic hydrated silica - hinges and interlocking devices in diatoms, Proc. IMechE Part J: J. Eng. Tribol. 220(8), p. 787-796.
Gebeshuber I.C., Stachelberger H. and Drack M. (2005) Diatom bionanotribology - Biological surfaces in relative motion: their design, friction, adhesion, lubrication and wear, J. Nanosci. Nanotechnol. 5(1), p. 79-87.
Higgins M. J., Molino P., Mulvaney P. and Wetherbee R. (2003) The structure and nanomechanical properties of the adhesive mucilage that mediates diatom substratum adhesion and motility. J. Phycol. 39, p. 1181-1193.
Natural MEMS, glassy rubberbands and self-healing adhesives - a glance at diatoms, and what they can teach us
No full textDiatoms are single celled algae that have been evolutionarily optimized for the last 50 million years or more.
Via biomineralization, they build delicate naturally nanostructured silica shells. In many diatoms, hinges and interlocking devices on the micrometer scale and below serve as inter- and intracell connections. Ellerbeckia arenaria is a diatom that lives in waterfalls. Cell colonies of this species can be elongated by about 1/3 of their original length, their silica shells will not break, and they snap back like a rubberband. The strong biogenic adhesive certain diatoms use to attach to surfaces reveals self-healing multi-modal properties on the single molecule level.
Regarding diatoms as model systems yields valuable input for novel emerging technologies such as MEMS and adhesive technologies.
References:
Gebeshuber I.C. and Crawford R.M. (2006) Micromechanics in biogenic hydrated silica - hinges and interlocking devices in diatoms, Proc. IMechE Part J: J. Eng. Tribol. 220(8), p. 787-796.
Gebeshuber I.C., Stachelberger H. and Drack M. (2005) Diatom bionanotribology - Biological surfaces in relative motion: their design, friction, adhesion, lubrication and wear, J. Nanosci. Nanotechnol. 5(1), p. 79-87.
Higgins M. J., Molino P., Mulvaney P. and Wetherbee R. (2003) The structure and nanomechanical properties of the adhesive mucilage that mediates diatom substratum adhesion and motility. J. Phycol. 39, p. 1181-1193.
Diatoms - the source of biotribological insiration for novel 3D MEMS
No full textDiatoms - the source of biotribological inspiration for novel
3D MEMS - Ille C. Gebeshuber1 and .Richard M. Crawford2
- 1Institut f¨ur Allgemeine Physik, Technische Universit¨at Wien,
Wiedner Hauptstrasse 8-10/134, 1040 Wien, Austria & Austrian Center
of Competence for Tribology, Viktor Kaplan-Strasse 2, 2700 Wiener
Neustadt, Austria - 2Alfred-Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine
Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
Diatoms are single-celled organisms with rigid parts in relative motion
at the micrometre scale and below. They produce interlocked hydrated
silica structures with high precision. These micromechanical parts has
been evolutionarily optimized during the last 150 million years or more.
It is suggested that MEMS/NEMS researchers meet with diatomists to
discuss future common research attempts regarding biomimetic ideas
and approaches for novel and/or improved MEMS and NEMS with
optimized tribological properties [1,2].
[1] Gebeshuber I.C. and Crawford R.M. (2006) Micromechanics in
biogenic hydrated silica - hinges and interlocking devices in diatoms,
Proc. IMechE Part J: J. Eng. Tribol. 220(8), 787-796
[2] Gebeshuber I.C., Stachelberger H. and Drack M. (2005) Diatom
bionanotribology - Biological surfaces in relative motion: their design,
friction, adhesion, lubrication and wear, J. Nanosci. Nanotechnol. 5(1),
79-87
Part: SYBM
Type: Vortrag;Talk
Topic: Bioinspired Materials
Email: [email protected]
Microfluidic simulation of a colonial diatom chain reveals pumping behavior
No full textRutilaria philippinarum is a fossil colonial sea-water diatom that used to live in shallow waters [1]. Inspired by recent studies on the linking structures that connect sibling cells [2] a microfluidic computer model was created. This two-dimensional finite element model has the following assumptions: the cell size is 140 micrometers * 34 micrometers, the distance between cells varies from 10 micrometers to 30 micrometers, there are 10 cells with periodic boundary conditions. Undisturbed fluid flow between the single cells is allowed for in this first simple model. The cells do not move actively, and are solely moved by the water. The initial fluid velocity varies between 0.01m/s and 1m/s. Stationary solutions of the model starting from equidistant cells shows pairing of neighboring cells. On the other hand, starting the calculations from already paired cells shows the opposite effect: the pairs aspire the equidistant state again. From this result it is concluded that the alternation between these two stationary states causes an oscillatory movement of the chain. It still has to be shown if this effect also appears in a chain of living diatoms with the silica frustules covered with organic material. If it does, this "pumping behavior" might facilitate nutrient uptake. In any case, our modeling attempts might have laid a bio-inspired basis for a novel type of pumps in the micrometer length scale [3,4]. The appearance of such vibrations in fan wings is a similar effect on the meter length scale.
References:
[1] Ross, R. (1995) "A revision of Rutilaria Greville (Bacillariophyta)", Bulletin Natural History Museum, Botany series 25: 1-93.
[2] Gebeshuber I.C. and Crawford R.M. (2006) "Micromechanics in biogenic hydrated silica: hinges and interlocking devices in diatoms", Proc. IMechE Part J: J. Eng. Tribol. 220(J8), 787-796.
[3] Gebeshuber I.C. (2007) "Biotribology inspires new technologies", invited article, Nano Today 2(5), 30-37.
[4] Gebeshuber I.C. and Drack M. (2008) invited article, "An attempt to reveal synergies between biology and engineering mechanics", IMechE Part C: J. Mech. Eng. Sci. 222, 1281-1287.
Nanotribologie in der Biologie - was die Technik von der Natur lernen kann
No full textWo auch immer wir hinsehen in der belebten Natur, es finden sich tribologische Phänomene. Das Hüftgelenk zum Beispiel mit seinen hervorragenden Reibzahlen beschäftigt Tribologen und Tribologinnen schon seit Jahrzehnten. Und natürlich auch im ganz kleinen, im Nanokosmos, finden sich tribologische Phänomene, die einerseits zum Staunen anregen, andererseits als wertvolle Inspiration für neue Technologien dienen [1]. Genau hier setzt bionische Forschung an - Lernen von der Natur, Abstraktion der hinter dem biologischen Phänomen stehenden Gesetzmäßigkeiten und Transfer in die Technologie [2].
Anhand von biologischen nanostrukturierten mikromechanischen Maschinen aus Glas (45 Millionen Jahre alt, und noch intakt), ein- und ausschaltbaren Klebstoffmolekülen (die in der Blutbahn für die Detektion von Entzündungen verantwortlich sind) und einem Fuß mit Trockenklebstoff (er klebt mittels der van der Waals Kraft an jeder Oberfläche) wird ein kleiner Einblick in eine Schatzkiste gegeben, die wert ist, genauer untersucht zu werden. Die dazugehörigen technischen Entwicklungen sind ein hochempfindlicher Gassensor, eine Zellseparationstechnologie und selbstheilende Klebstoffe [3].
Referenzen:
1. I.C. Gebeshuber, M. Scherge und M. Drack "Tribology in Biology" Trib. Mat. Surf. Interf., invited article, under review
2. Gebeshuber I.C. and Drack M. (2008) "An attempt to reveal synergies between biology and engineering mechanics" IMechE Part C: J. Mech. Eng. Sci. 222, pp. 1281-1287, invited article,
3. I.C. Gebeshuber (2007) "Biotribology inspires new technologies" Nano Today 2(5), pp. 30-37, invited article
Isomer specific tribological behaviour of hydroxyquinolines
No full textExperiments from the macro- to the nanorange show that different isomers of hydroxyquinoline have different lubrication properties on tribologically relevant surfaces, e.g. 100Cr6 steel or copper. On the macroscale, highly refined low sulfur diesel fuels with 2-, 4-, 6- and 8-hydroxyquinoline as additives were tested by means of a high frequency reciprocating rig tribometer (steel ball against steel plate). In this study, attention was especially paid to the connection between the position of the hydroxyl group at the molecule and the resulting influence on the "lubricity" properties of low sulfur diesel fuel. 2- and 8-hydroxyquinoline showed excellent wear reducing behaviour, even at concentrations as low as 125ppm. Of these two isomers, 2-hydroxyquinoline had the larger potential for film formation, even at low concentration [1]. The molecular level of the tribo-system was investigated by means of angle resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (VG ESCALAB Mk III equipped with a special preparation chamber, permitting the transfer of samples from a fluid cell to the analysis chamber under Helium protective gas) [2]. Monomolecular lubricant films were deposited from the liquid phase onto ultra thin copper films sputtered onto silicon wafers as well as onto 100Cr6 steel plates. Spectra of the samples immerged into the lubricating fluid and after tribotesting were recorded. It showed that the tribological behaviour of the additives on copper is contrary to their behaviour on steel. Angular resolved XPS investigation of 8-hydroxychinoline on copper samples demonstrated that, without tribological stress, full coverage of the surface with 8-hydroxyquinoline is not possible. Furthermore, XPS revealed that the additives undergo reactions during adsorption. After tribotesting different compositions of the tribofilms were found for the various isomers tested. The results from the macroscopic level were reproduced on the nanoscopic level by atomic force microscopy measurements (MFP-3D, Asylum Research, Santa Barbara, CA, USA). An isomer specific reduction of friction was found [3]. Fig. 1: The different hydroxyquinoline isomers tested for their wear behaviour by reciprocating rig method, by angle resolved photoelectron spectroscopy and by atomic force microscopy: 2-, 4-, 6- and 8-hydroxyquinoline (top left, top right, bottom left, bottom right).
References
[1] R. Kolm, et al., in: "Life Cycle Tribology in: Tribology and Interface Engineering Series", Elsevier, Amsterdam/NL, (2005) 269.
[2] H. Störi, et al., Proc. 14th Int. Colloquium Tribology, Technische Akademie Esslingen, III (2004) 1663.
[3] Gebeshuber I.C., et al., submitte
Biomimetic Nanotechnology Vol. 2
No full textBiomimetic nanotechnology relates to the most basic aspects of living systems and the transfer of their properties to human applications. Biological materials, structures, and processes are predominantly based on functionalities at the nanoscale. These nanoscale functionalities are often peppered with added components embedded in beautiful hierarchical layers moving from the micro-, through the meso-, and finally to the macroscale. This is of relevance in materials science, medicine, physics, sensor technologies, smart materials science, and many more fields.
Biomimetics of nanoscale features of living systems is highly challenging, interesting, and rewarding. Yet, because of the inherent multifunctionality of most biological functions, sometimes it is complicated to isolate specific features that are interesting for potential novel applications in technology. Here, both smart approaches and a focus on properly identifying the underlying principles in nature are necessary for us to be able to transfer lessons from living systems to technology, science, engineering, and the arts.
This Special Issue on Biomimetic Nanotechnology calls for contributions from researchers and thinkers in all realms of biomimetic nanotechnology and welcomes theoretical, experimental, and review contributions from biomimeticians, physicists, biologists, material scientists, engineers, and mathematicians alike who are engaged and interested in this fast-growing field. Of specific interest for this Special Issue will be papers that touch upon safe nanotechnology and sustainable biomimetic nanotechnology that facilitates the high potential of this great field in combination with inherent safety for humans and nature.
In the end of 2017, we launched such a Special Issue and received a significant amount of attention, with 8 related papers published. Various important developments have taken place since then, especially in medical biomimetic nanotechnology, and biomimetics as a field is growing and more consolidated. Because of the great success of "Biomimetic Nanotechnology Vol. 1", we have now decided it is time to launch "Biomimetic Nanotechnology Vol. 2", and we believe that with your support, it can be as successful as the original edition
Tribology in biology: biomimetic studies across dimensions and across fields
No full textBiomimetics is a field that has the potential to drive major technical advances. It might substantially support successful mastering of current tribological challenges, i.e., friction, adhesion and wear in machines and devices from the meter to the nanometer scale. Science currently goes through a major change, with biology gaining increasing importance. Indeed, biology is becoming the new Leitwissenschaft. Tribology is omnipresent in biology. Various examples for biological tribosystems across dimensions are introduced to the reader, exemplifying the hierarchical nature of biomaterials, and concepts such as integration instead of additive construction, optimization of the whole instead of maximization of a single component feature, multi-functionality instead of mono-functionality and development via trial-and-error processes. The current state of biomimetics in tribology is reviewed, and possible biomimetic scenarios to overcome current tribological challenges are suggested (switchable adhesives, micromechanic devices, novel lubricants and adhesives)
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