Nanotechnologists must be very good at ‘thinking outside the square’ or even just at ‘thinking outside’ with many of their inspirations coming from nature.
Similarly to the article on ‘gecko tape’, scientist at a US university have developed a novel responsive material inspired by the Venus flytrap. Venus flytraps work by material on the leaves snapping rapidly from a concave shape to convex when hairs on the leaves are triggered. To imitate this, the scientists have developed a polymer surface covered with tiny holes capped by thin lenses that can snap between convex and concave conformations when triggered.
This material has great potential for creating release-on-command coatings and could allow for the removal of superglues, wallpapers and paints without toxic solvents, as well as surfaces with responsive reflective properties, such as road signs that change their reflectivity with changing weather conditions.
They are also working on a Venus flytrap-gecko hybrid, investigating the adhesion and release properties of geckos toes as a means of controlling the sticking and releasing of this new material.
So what will they be inspired by next?……..
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