Stanislav Gorb, bionic expert and professor at the Kiel University, Germany and Naoe Hosoda, material scientist and professor at the National Institute for Material Science in Japan have taken inspiration from the terrestrial leaf beetle to synthesize a silicone polymer structure equipped with adhesive properties underwater.
Insects are generally adept at adhering to dry surfaces. There are instances in nature where plants are covered with water for a long period of time, particularly after it has rained. The terrestrial leaf beetle is one insect that retains its adhesion property under water. The two scientists collaborated to extend the beetle’s underwater locomotive mechanism to devise their artificial material.
Water aids in the adhesion of two solids in air. Capillary force is the liquid surface tension at work between the air, solids and liquid. Insects apply this capillary force to stick their legs to dry surfaces not with the aid of water but with the help of their setae that is covered in oil. Air is the primary component necessary for exerting the capillary force. Beetles demonstrate how to incorporate the air element underwater. The insects take air in the form of bubbles trapped between their setae and thereby facilitate capillary adhesion in water. The process necessitates a small degree of hydrophobia in the solids which is not a problem as most leaf tops exhibit a small degree of water repulsion. The scientists overcame the challenge of retaining air within the material by designing a microstructure that can produce sticky materials underwater without the aid of glue. This discovery could have applications in underwater optics and other underwater technologies.
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