Nanoscience Uses Biomimicry

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Nanoscience Uses Biomimicry
Copycat!
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Nature has Some Amazing Nanoscience Feats or
Should We Say Feets.

• Studying the water striders nanogroovy
  setules on its toes has inspired scientists to
  design miniature aquatic devices and non-wetting
  materials.

Water strider leg hairs and grooves on one hair.
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Eight-Legged Note Pads
Help, my pads are stuck!

• The strength of the suction in a spiders foot is
  due to all of the small van der Waals forces at
  the nanoscale pulling at the same time.
• So, why isnt it stuck in one place? It lifts
  its leg so that the setules lift successively,
  not all at once.
• This suggests to scientists that, in the future,
  super-strong Post-it notes, modeled after the
  nanoscience of spider toes, will need to be
  pulled off very slowly, a little at a time.

My pads are stuck, too!
Hairy spider toes
Setules on hairs
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And..
Using nanoscience and the van der Waals force,
future Post-it notes wont just be strong,
theyll even stick if they got wet or greasy.

• Imagine astronauts using the same idea for
  spacesuits that help them stick to the walls of
  a spacecraft,just like a spider on the ceiling."
  

http//www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2004-04/iop
-smb041504.php
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Clean as a
Gecko?

• Gecko feet can stick to seemingly smooth surfaces
  thanks to nanoscale setules on their feet and
  the setules are self cleaning.
• This bonding capability is inspiring scientists
  to develop a synthetic adhesive that is both dry
  and self-cleaning.
• http//pubs.acs.org/cen/critter/gecko1.html

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A Material Stronger than Steeland More Elastic
than Nylon?

• For 450 million years, spiders have made silk,
  protein-based nanomaterials that self-assemble
  into fibers and sheets.  
• If we figure out how to copy this nanscience
  feat, scientists would like to use the material
  to create an elevator to space.
• Does that sound like a good idea to you?
• http//www.newscientist.com/article.ns?iddn3522

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Color in Butterfly Wings
Butterfly wing scales in increasing magnitude

• Butterfly wings are layers of nanoparticles
  seperated by layers of air. The thickness of the
  layers changes the colors that we see.

http//www.ntcresearch.org/pdf-rpts/AnRp05/M03-MD1
4-A5.pdf http//pubs.acs.org/cen/critter/butterfly
.html http//jbe.jlu.edu.cn/free/v1/i4/207.pdf
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How Do We Mimic Wing Colors?

• The layered nanostructure of the butterfly wing
  inspires scientists to develop textiles by
  assembling nanoparticles into layers from the
  bottom up.

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Living LEDs
Butterflies figured out how to emit light 30
million years ago.
Fluorescent patches on the wings of this African
swallowtail butterflies work in a very similar
way to high emission light emitting diodes
(LEDs).
http//news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4443854.
stm
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Butterfly Nanostructure Inspiration
Depending on what you need, these nanoparticles
might be made into flourescent proteins, DNA,
viruses, or dyes. The ideas are endless!
If made into optical chemical or stress sensing
nanofibers, they can be added into other
materials and structures.
http//www.ntcresearch.org/pdf-rpts/AnRp05/M03-MD1
4-A5.pdf
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Wings are Colorful and Hydrophobic!
Look, Mom, Im dry!
Water droplet

• Notice the butterflys wing in the picture
  isnt getting wet?
• The butterfly can thank its lucky stars or,
  better yet, its nanoscales.

More information can be found on the web at
http//www.exploratorium.edu/ronh/bubbles/bubbles.
htm . Activities can be found at
http//www.lessonplanspage.com/ScienceExAddPennies
ToFullGlassMO68.htm or http//www.iit.edu/smile/p
h9205.html
http//jbe.jlu.edu.cn/free/v1/i4/207.pdf
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As the Saying Goes
Like Water Off of a Ducks Back
http//jbe.jlu.edu.cn/free/v1/i4/207.pdf http//na
notechweb.org/articles/news/1/11/5/1/0611102
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and Dirt Off of a Butterflys Wing!
Besides repelling water (hydrophobic), the
nanoscales make butterfly wings self-cleaning.
http//www.nanotechnic-germany.com/lotuseffect.htm
http//jbe.jlu.edu.cn/free/v1/i4/207.pdf
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How These Surfaces Work
Because of the nanostructures on a butterfly wing
or other hydrophobic surface, a waterdrop forms
into a ball, rolling from the surface and taking
the dirt with it.
Butterfly wing or super-hydrophobic surface
water dirt
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Science Copies Self-Cleaning Nanoproperties!
Since I cant take a bath, its a good thing Im
self-cleaning!

• Scientists are copying this process with self
  cleaning hydrophobic micro-dots.

An excellent video demonstrates how this works at
http//www.nanogreensciences.com/index.html
http//www.ntcresearch.org/projectapp/index.cfm?pr
ojectC04-CL06topicprogress
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Wouldnt It Be Nice If?

• more materials could be

self-cleaning?
water repellant?
Can you think of some?
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Nanoscience Uses for Bioluminescence

• Biological imaging
• Red is particularly useful because it can
  transmit through skin better than green light.

Detection of cancers
Measuring rate of cell multiplication
Pathogen detection
Tracing tumor growth
Food testing. Bacteria contain ATP that
accelerates the fireflys bioluminescence
reaction. This makes it especially good for
quickly detecting bacterial contamination in
food.
Drug screening
http//pubs.acs.org/cen/science/84/8414biolum.html
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Squid Lights
Remember those squid belly nanoplatelets that
reflect the light of bioluminescent bacteria?
Those Squid platelets inspire nanotechnologists
to include such protein-based reflectors in
optical nanodevices.
http//pubs.acs.org/cen/critter/critterchemistry.h
tml
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Toucan Beaks

• The nanostructure of toucan beaks inspires
  automotive panels that could protect passengers
  in crashes.
• And inspires construction of ultralight aircraft
  components.

http//pubs.acs.org/cen/critter/critterchemistry.h
tml
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Thirsty?
Living in the desert the thirsty Namib beetle
collects dew to drink using nanodots on its back.
So What can Thirsty People Do?

• Thirsty people in Chile and Haiti go to
  ridgetops to collect fog on large sheets on
  ridgetops.

But as we learn about nanoscience in nature
http//biomechanics.bio.uci.edu/_html/nh_biomech/n
amib/beetle.htm http//www.treehugger.com/files/2
005/04/clean_water_fro.php
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We have Nanotechnology Solutions!
Scientists are modeling water harvesting surfaces
after the Namib beetles nanotechnique.
Youre welcome!
The Namib Beetles design is also a model for
other nanotechnology

• controlled drug release coatings,
• open-air microchannel devices, and
• lab-on-chip devices.

Patterned Superhydrophobic Surfaces Toward a
Synthetic Mimic of the Namib Desert Beetle Lei
Zhai, Michael C. Berg, Fevzi Ç. Cebeci, Yushan
Kim, John M. Milwid, Michael F. Rubner, and
Robert E. Cohen Nano Lett. 2006 6(6) pp 1213 -
1217 http//pubs3.acs.org/acs/journals/doilookup?
in_doi10.1021/nl060644q
http//www.treehugger.com/files/2005/04/clean_wate
r_fro.php http//www.treehugger.com/files/2006/06/
biomimicry_nami.php
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Dont You Want to Mimic My Nanopowers?
Ok, hippo sweat is -a sunscreen, -hydrophilic
-and antibacterial.

• It sounds like promising nanoscience. But,
  personally, Im having a little trouble getting
  excited about smearing something called
  hipposudoric acid on my body!

http//pubs.acs.org/cen/news/8222/8222notw9.html
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Nanoscience Biomimicry

• Weve looked at ways scientists are attempting to
  mimic the wonders of nanoscience in nature
• sticky feet
• strong spider silk

• self-cleaning light reflecting butterfly wings

• optical nanoscience

• water collecting beetle backs

• tough and light toucan beaks

• and the list could go on and on.

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Your SuperPower Idea
These ideas have been copied and modified by
science fiction and cartoonists for decades.

• Now it is your turn to delve into the world of
  superheros and supervillains.

SuperHippo to the rescue!
Take a nanoscience idea from nature. Create a
superbeing or supertool that has a special power
based on this nanoscience idea. Develop a
visual aid and presentation to share with the
class.
http//www.theforce.net/fanfilms/software/3dstudio
max/romanlasers_tutorial/index.asp http//news.bbc
.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4443854.stm
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Superpower or Nanopower Copycats?
Spiderman uses the nanoscience of spider silk.
Is this the only way that Spidey uses
nanoscience?
What other superheros could be using some of
these nanoscience ideas to achieve their feats?
A database of biomimicry may help you find ideas.
The following database includes some examples of
mimicry that are NOT nanoscale so be careful to
select an idea that is based in
nanoscience. http//www.biomimicry.net/case_studie
s.html
If you dont feel you are ready to start on your
project yet and want more clarification or help.
Click here for five more slides.
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Biomimicry Websites

• This is a great website. http//database.biomimicr
  y.org/start.php, Select browse then select
  either strategies or organisms to best search
  this site.

This database is more challenging, but has
good information http//database.biomimicry.or
g/site_index.php
Heres are good biomimicry website, too
http//www.cbid.gatech.edu/ and
http//www.gma.org/nano/mbne_021.html
Get the latest news on nanotechnology news at
http//www.nsf.gov/news/index.jsp?prio_area10
and nanotechnology discoveries
athttp//www.nsf.gov/discoveries/index.jsp?prio_a
rea10
http//www.theforce.net/fanfilms/software/3dstudio
max/romanlasers_tutorial/index.asp
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More Challenging Resource
If youre still looking for information, this
Chemistry Teachers Guide is good but
challenging. http//www.chemistry.org/portal/resou
rces/ACS/ACSContent/education/curriculum/chemmatte
rs/tg/2006_4_tg.pdf
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Biomimicry Video

• National Geographic has a video clip on
  biomimicry at http//www7.nationalgeographic.com/n
  gm/0606/feature4/multimedia.html

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Examples of Biomimicry But NOT Nanoscience

• Not all biomimicry is nanoscience.
• In your project be sure to avoid biomimicry
  that resembles these non-nanoscience examples.
• Military gear http//news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/n
  ature/1554130.stm
• Boxfish
• http//lukew.com/ff/entry.asp?191

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Having Trouble Getting
Started?

• Heres a site which can take you through the
  steps.
• http//www.biomimicry.net/essent_resourc.html
• (Click on Evolving Biomimicry Methodology when
  you get to the website.)