Insects Inspire New Biodegradable Plastics

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Traditional plastics are the children of oil; they are derived from the photochemical process. Since their inception, synthetic plastics have left an indelible mark on society. According to the U.S. National Park Service, however, plastic bottles can take up to 450 years to fully decompose. While they do eventually degrade, they are not considered truly biodegradable. Instead, they accumulate in landfills and oceans, killing wildlife and polluting our environment.

Biomimetic Butterfly Coating Could Save Lives

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Blast-induced traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the "signature wound" of the recent conflicts Iraq and Afghanistan. Without any real quantitative method to indicate the magnitude of blast exposure, soldiers affected may not receive appropriate medical care. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have recently developed at new blast badge inspired by the wings of butterflies.

Biomimetic Programmable Materials - SLIPS Related Technology

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"Imagine a tent that block light on a dry and sunny day, becomes transparent and water repellent on a dim, rainy day, or highly precise, self-adjusting contact lenses that also clean themselves. Or pipelines that can optimize the rate of flow depending on the volume of fluid coming through them and the environmental conditions outside." - Wyss Institute

Pitcher Plant inspires worlds "Slipperiest Surface"

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In any system where liquid is handled or encountered, unwanted liquid-surface interactions are usually a limiting factor. They trigger blood clotting in biological interfaces, nucleate icing, create drag in transport systems, and promote biofouling. We already know that the microstructure of the lotus leaf and the coatings it has inspired are known to exhibit superhydrophobicity  and self-cleaning when water rolls off of them. Despite this, the technology is still plagued with problems which restrict their practical application. They show poor performance with oils and fail under pressure or mechanical damage such as abrasions or torsion. In order to widen the range of application for these type of repellant surfaces, researchers at the university of Harvard have created a similarly functional technology inspired by the Nepenthes pitcher plant. Their new surface is essentially omniphobic, is composed of low cost materials, and self heals.

Lotus Leaves Inspire Self Cleaning Superhydrophobic Surfaces

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In some Asian cultures, the lotus plant is considered a symbol of purity. The large fan-like leaves of the lotus plant stay dry and pristine despite the muddy ponds and lakes the plant calls home. How does his work and what does it mean to us?

Sharklet: The Antimicrobial Properties of Sharkskin

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Last post we learned that the unique pattern of sharkskin allows the animals to reduce drag and move more efficiently through  the water. But that's not the only advantage to the small scales covering sharks. It turns out that the fish's scales also prevent microorganisms from attaching and growing. 

Sharkskin: Small Ridges Create Huge Efficiency

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For decades, engineers have been concerned with movement efficiency based on the shape and smoothness of an object. The conventional rule was the smoother an object was, the more efficiently it would move through a fluid. Within the past 10-15 years or so, that has been starting to change. Sharkskin holds the secret to creating greater hydrodynamic and efficient machines.

Mussel Glue Could Save Lives

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A new type of glue, one that mimics the ability of the mussel  to hold itself to just about anything under turbulent water, is being developed in multiple universities and labs around the world. One of its major applications could be a bio compatible glue that could help hold tissue together after injury or surgery.

Mantis Shrimp: Weapon to Armor

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Last post, we covered the incredibly tough and highly impact resistant mother of pearl which keeps most mollusks safe from predators. But the mantis shrimp can break through these extremely hard structures with the speed of a .22 caliber bullet.

Artificial Mother of Pearl: Stronger Lighter Armor

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One of nature's strongest materials is nacure, colloquially known as "Mother of pearl." This is the surface coating of pearls and the iridescent coating that lines the inside of many mollusks such as oysters, abalone, and mussels. Nacure is composed of 95% aragonite, a hard but brittle calcium carbonate mineral, with the remaining 5% made up of soft organic molecules. While on their own, each material has poor mechanical properties, when layered together by the mollusks, the nacure can be (in energy terms) up to 3,000 times more resistant to fracture.

Gecko Feet

This post is for those who don't know much about biomimcry or the inventions it has lead to. One of the most popular and modern examples of biomimetics are artificial adhesives inspired by gecko feet.

We all know that geckos can cling to walls and scurry across ceilings with ease, but did you ever wonder how they did this? The secret to the geckos amazing sticking abilities lie in the billions of hair-like structures that adorn their toes.

Introductions

Hi! My name is Darien Shimabukuro and I am currently studying Biomechanical Engineering at the University of the Pacific. I am writing this blog because I am very interested in Biomimicry but all sites on the subject I have visited have very sparse examples and news about discoveries and research. I am hoping to create a blog that exposes people to the wonders of Biomimicry without them having to scour the internet.

I will be updating this blog at least twice a week so keep stopping by! If you have any questions for me, you can contact me at BiomimicryReport@gmail.com.