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Biomimetics
Special Issues
Biological Attachment Systems and Biomimetics
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Biological Attachment Systems and Biomimetics

A special issue of Biomimetics (ISSN 2313-7673). This special issue belongs to the section "Biomimetic Surfaces and Interfaces".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 May 2024 | Viewed by 19068

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Stanislav N. Gorb

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute, Kiel University, 24118 Kiel, Germany
Interests: biological attachment; functional morphology; biomechanics; biotribology; biomimetics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Thies Büscher

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute, Kiel University, 24118 Kiel, Germany
Interests: biomechanics; functional morphology; biomimetics; adhesion; friction; insect evolution; environmental adaptations
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Systems preventing the separation of two surfaces may be defined as attachment systems. Natural attachment systems can either employ entirely mechanical principles, or additionally rely on the surface chemistry and incorporate fluids in the contact region. Biological attachment systems (BASs) are used to either temporarily or permanently attach an organism to substrates, to other organisms, or for the temporary interconnection of body parts within an organism. The structure and physical mechanisms of BASs vary enormously and are subject to different functional loads, due to their specific areas of application. That is why many functional solutions have evolved independently in different lineages of organisms. Many species of animals and plants exhibit diverse BASs, that differ in their morphology depending on the biology of the species and the particular function, in which the corresponding BAS is involved.

This Special Issue covers topics from cell adhesion phenomena via non-specific adhesion to mechanical interlocking of organisms. We welcome papers dealing with functional surfaces and systems independent of their biological origin (bacteria, fungi, animals, plants) that are specialised for the enhancement of contact forces independently of their physical origin (adhesion, friction, interlocking). These contributions can discuss the attachment of biological surfaces and their relationship with the structure, contact mechanics and chemistry of surfaces. Because of the diversity of functions in BASs, biology could provide interesting inspirations for the design and fabrication of biomimetic attachment devices. Therefore, this Special Issue additionally embraces contributions from physics and engineering dealing with structure-property relationships of bioinspired attachment devices and their potential applications. The following topics will be covered:

  • fundamental classes of attachment principles in biology: (1) hooks, (2) lock or snap, (3) clamp, (4) spacer, (5) suction, (6) expansion anchor, (7) adhesive secretions (glue), and (8) friction
  • cell adhesion
  • temporary and permanent attachment
  • biomimetic systems inspired by biology and their applications

Prof. Dr. Stanislav N. Gorb
Dr. Thies Büscher
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biomimetics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • biological adhesion
  • bioadhesion
  • contact mechanics
  • surfaces
  • tribology
  • biomimetics

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 3958 KiB  
Article
Experimental Study on the Adhesion of Abalone to Surfaces with Different Morphologies
by Peng Xi, Yanqi Qiao, Qian Cong and Qingliang Cui
Biomimetics 2024, 9(4), 206; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/biomimetics9040206 - 29 Mar 2024
Viewed by 547
Abstract
To date, research on abalone adhesion has primarily analyzed the organism’s adhesion to smooth surfaces, with few studies on adhesion to non-smooth surfaces. The present study examined the surface morphology of the abalone’s abdominal foot, followed by measuring the adhesive force of the [...] Read more.
To date, research on abalone adhesion has primarily analyzed the organism’s adhesion to smooth surfaces, with few studies on adhesion to non-smooth surfaces. The present study examined the surface morphology of the abalone’s abdominal foot, followed by measuring the adhesive force of the abalone on a smooth force measuring plate and five force measuring plates with different surface morphologies. Next, the adhesion mechanism of the abdominal foot was analyzed. The findings indicated that the abdominal foot of the abalone features numerous stripe-shaped folds on its surface. The adhesion of the abalone to a fine frosted glass plate, a coarse frosted glass plate, and a quadrangular conical glass plate was not significantly different from that on a smooth glass plate. However, the organism’s adhesion to a small lattice pit glass plate and block pattern glass plate was significantly different. The abalone could effectively adhere to the surface of the block pattern glass plate using the elasticity of its abdominal foot during adhesion but experienced difficulty in completely adhering to the surface of the quadrangular conical glass plate. The abdominal foot used its elasticity to form an independent sucker system with each small lattice pit, significantly improving adhesion to the small lattice pit glass plate. The elasticity of the abalone’s abdominal foot created difficulty in handling slight morphological size changes in roughness, resulting in no significant differences in its adhesion to the smooth glass plate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological Attachment Systems and Biomimetics)
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25 pages, 4989 KiB  
Article
Indentation and Detachment in Adhesive Contacts between Soft Elastomer and Rigid Indenter at Simultaneous Motion in Normal and Tangential Direction: Experiments and Simulations
by Iakov A. Lyashenko, Valentin L. Popov and Vadym Borysiuk
Biomimetics 2023, 8(6), 477; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/biomimetics8060477 - 07 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1128
Abstract
In reported experiments, a steel indenter was pressed into a soft elastomer layer under varying inclination angles and subsequently was detached under various inclination angles too. The processes of indentation and detachment were recorded with a video camera, and the time dependences of [...] Read more.
In reported experiments, a steel indenter was pressed into a soft elastomer layer under varying inclination angles and subsequently was detached under various inclination angles too. The processes of indentation and detachment were recorded with a video camera, and the time dependences of the normal and tangential components of the contact force and the contact area, as well as the average contact pressure and average tangential stresses, were measured as functions of the inclination angle. Based on experimental results, a simple theoretical model of the indentation process is proposed, in which tangential and normal contacts are considered independently. Both experimental and theoretical results show that at small indentation angles (when the direction of motion is close to tangential), a mode with elastomer slippage relative to the indenter is observed, which leads to complex dynamic processes—the rearrangement of the contact boundary and the propagation of elastic waves (similar to Schallamach waves). If the angle is close to the normal angle, there is no slipping in the contact plane during the entire indentation (detachment) phase. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological Attachment Systems and Biomimetics)
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23 pages, 16445 KiB  
Article
Characterization of Morphologically Distinct Components in the Tarsal Secretion of Medauroidea extradentata (Phasmatodea) Using Cryo-Scanning Electron Microscopy
by Julian Thomas, Stanislav N. Gorb and Thies H. Büscher
Biomimetics 2023, 8(5), 439; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/biomimetics8050439 - 20 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1129
Abstract
Attachment to the substrate is an important phenomenon that determines the survival of many organisms. Most insects utilize wet adhesion to support attachment, which is characterized by fluids that are secreted into the interface between the tarsus and the substrates. Previous research has [...] Read more.
Attachment to the substrate is an important phenomenon that determines the survival of many organisms. Most insects utilize wet adhesion to support attachment, which is characterized by fluids that are secreted into the interface between the tarsus and the substrates. Previous research has investigated the composition and function of tarsal secretions of different insect groups, showing that the secretions are likely viscous emulsions that contribute to attachment by generating capillary and viscous adhesion, leveling surface roughness and providing self-cleaning of the adhesive systems. Details of the structural organization of these secretions are, however, largely unknown. Here, we analyzed footprints originating from the arolium and euplantulae of the stick insect Medauroidea extradentata using cryo-scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM) and white light interferometry (WLI). The secretion was investigated with cryo-SEM, revealing four morphologically distinguishable components. The 3D WLI measurements of the droplet shapes and volumes over time revealed distinctly different evaporation rates for different types of droplets. Our results indicate that the subfunctionalization of the tarsal secretion is facilitated by morphologically distinct components, which are likely a result of different proportions of components within the emulsion. Understanding these components and their functions may aid in gaining insights for developing adaptive and multifunctional biomimetic adhesive systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological Attachment Systems and Biomimetics)
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13 pages, 3925 KiB  
Article
Effect of the Mechanical Properties of Soft Counter-Faces on the Adhesive Capacity of Mushroom-Shaped Biomimetic Microstructures
by May Gonen and Haytam Kasem
Biomimetics 2023, 8(3), 327; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/biomimetics8030327 - 24 Jul 2023
Viewed by 934
Abstract
The effects of mechanical properties and contact environment conditions on the adhesiveness of the biomimetic adhesive mushroom-shaped micro-structure have been experimentally investigated. The idea is based on the adhesive micro-structures and surfaces inspired by nature after observing the abilities of some animals. Applications [...] Read more.
The effects of mechanical properties and contact environment conditions on the adhesiveness of the biomimetic adhesive mushroom-shaped micro-structure have been experimentally investigated. The idea is based on the adhesive micro-structures and surfaces inspired by nature after observing the abilities of some animals. Applications are proposed in various fields of engineering and technology. However, to enable unconventional uses of these biomimetic adhesion surfaces, such as in the biomedical field, it is necessary to adjust and optimize their tribological properties (friction, adhesion, and peeling strength) in contact with soft substrates that can simulate the mechanical features of biological tissues. Our work explores the effect of the combinations of the various parameters on the strength of adhesion. Under dry contact conditions, soft counter-faces lead to lower adhesion than hard counter-faces, whereas under wet conditions, soft counter-faces lead to higher adhesion than harder counter-faces. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological Attachment Systems and Biomimetics)
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13 pages, 3568 KiB  
Article
The Influence of Temperature on Anisotropic Wettability Revealed by Friction Force Measurement
by Zhen Lin, Kangjian Xiao, Lijun Li, Yurong Zhang, Xiaolong Zhang, Daobing Chen and Longjian Xue
Biomimetics 2023, 8(2), 180; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/biomimetics8020180 - 25 Apr 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1507
Abstract
Anisotropic surfaces with special wettability under various temperatures are of both fundamental interest and practical importance in many fields. However, little attention has been paid to the surfaces at temperatures between room temperature and the boiling point of water, which is partially due [...] Read more.
Anisotropic surfaces with special wettability under various temperatures are of both fundamental interest and practical importance in many fields. However, little attention has been paid to the surfaces at temperatures between room temperature and the boiling point of water, which is partially due to the lack of a suitable characterization technique. Here, using the MPCP (monitoring of the position of the capillary’s projection) technique, the influence of the temperature on the friction of a water droplet on the graphene-PDMS (GP) micropillar array (GP-MA) is investigated. The friction forces in the orthogonal directions and the anisotropy in the friction decrease when the GP-MA surface is heated up, based on the photothermal effect of graphene. The friction forces also decrease along the pre-stretching direction but increase in the orthogonal direction when the stretching is increased. The change in the contact area, the Marangoni flow inside a droplet, and the mass reduction are responsible for the temperature dependence. The findings strengthen our fundamental understanding of the dynamics of drop friction at high temperatures and could pave the way for the design of new functional surfaces with special wettabilities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological Attachment Systems and Biomimetics)
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20 pages, 2677 KiB  
Article
Convergent Evolution of Adhesive Properties in Leaf Insect Eggs and Plant Seeds: Cross-Kingdom Bioinspiration
by Thies H. Büscher and Stanislav N. Gorb
Biomimetics 2022, 7(4), 173; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/biomimetics7040173 - 22 Oct 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2429
Abstract
Plants and animals are often used as a source for inspiration in biomimetic engineering. However, stronger engagement of biologists is often required in the field of biomimetics. The actual strength of using biological systems as a source of inspiration for human problem solving [...] Read more.
Plants and animals are often used as a source for inspiration in biomimetic engineering. However, stronger engagement of biologists is often required in the field of biomimetics. The actual strength of using biological systems as a source of inspiration for human problem solving does not lie in a perfect copy of a single system but in the extraction of core principles from similarly functioning systems that have convergently solved the same problem in their evolution. Adhesive systems are an example of such convergent traits that independently evolved in different organisms. We herein compare two analogous adhesive systems, one from plants seeds and one from insect eggs, to test their properties and functional principles for differences and similarities in order to evaluate the input that can be potentially used for biomimetics. Although strikingly similar, the eggs of the leaf insect Phyllium philippinicum and the seeds of the ivy gourd Coccinia grandis make use of different surface structures for the generation of adhesion. Both employ a water-soluble glue that is spread on the surface via reinforcing fibrous surface structures, but the morphology of these structures is different. In addition to microscopic analysis of the two adhesive systems, we mechanically measured the actual adhesion generated by both systems to quantitatively compare their functional differences on various standardized substrates. We found that seeds can generate much stronger adhesion in some cases but overall provided less reliable adherence in comparison to eggs. Furthermore, eggs performed better regarding repetitive attachment. The similarities of these systems, and their differences resulting from their different purposes and different structural/chemical features, can be informative for engineers working on technical adhesive systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological Attachment Systems and Biomimetics)
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17 pages, 3034 KiB  
Article
The Involvement of Cell-Type-Specific Glycans in Hydra Temporary Adhesion Revealed by a Lectin Screen
by Sofia Seabra, Theresa Zenleser, Alexandra L. Grosbusch, Bert Hobmayer and Birgit Lengerer
Biomimetics 2022, 7(4), 166; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/biomimetics7040166 - 15 Oct 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3544
Abstract
Hydra is a freshwater solitary polyp, capable of temporary adhesion to underwater surfaces. The reversible attachment is based on an adhesive material that is secreted from its basal disc cells and left behind on the substrate as a footprint. Despite Hydra constituting a [...] Read more.
Hydra is a freshwater solitary polyp, capable of temporary adhesion to underwater surfaces. The reversible attachment is based on an adhesive material that is secreted from its basal disc cells and left behind on the substrate as a footprint. Despite Hydra constituting a standard model system in stem cell biology and tissue regeneration, few studies have addressed its bioadhesion. This project aimed to characterize the glycan composition of the Hydra adhesive, using a set of 23 commercially available lectins to label Hydra cells and footprints. The results indicated the presence of N-acetylglucosamine, N-acetylgalactosamine, fucose, and mannose in the adhesive material. The labeling revealed a meshwork-like substructure in the footprints, implying that the adhesive is mainly formed by fibers. Furthermore, lectins might serve as a marker for Hydra cells and structures, e.g., many labeled as glycan-rich nematocytes. Additionally, some unexpected patterns were uncovered, such as structures associated with radial muscle fibers and endodermal gland cells in the hypostome of developing buds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological Attachment Systems and Biomimetics)
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12 pages, 1499 KiB  
Article
Underwater Attachment of the Water-Lily Leaf Beetle Galerucella nymphaeae (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae)
by Constanze Grohmann, Anna-Lisa Cohrs and Stanislav N. Gorb
Biomimetics 2022, 7(1), 26; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/biomimetics7010026 - 14 Feb 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2998
Abstract
While the reversible attachment of artificial structures underwater has moved into the focus of many recent publications, the ability of organisms to walk on and attach to surfaces underwater remains almost unstudied. Here, we describe the behaviour of the water-lily leaf beetle Galerucella [...] Read more.
While the reversible attachment of artificial structures underwater has moved into the focus of many recent publications, the ability of organisms to walk on and attach to surfaces underwater remains almost unstudied. Here, we describe the behaviour of the water-lily leaf beetle Galerucella nymphaeae when it adheres to surfaces underwater and compare its attachment properties on hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces underwater and in the air. The beetles remained attached to horizontal leaves underwater for a few minutes and then detached. When the leaf was inclined, the beetles started to move upward immediately. There was no difference in the size of the tarsal air bubble visible beneath the beetles’ tarsi underwater, between a hydrophilic (54° contact angle of water) and a hydrophobic (99°) surface. The beetles gained the highest traction forces on a hydrophilic surface in the air, the lowest on a hydrophobic surface in air, and intermediate traction on both surfaces underwater. The forces measured on both surfaces underwater did not differ significantly. We discuss factors responsible for the observed effects and conclude that capillary forces on the tarsal air bubble might play a major role in the adhesion to the studied surfaces. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological Attachment Systems and Biomimetics)
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Review

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21 pages, 13889 KiB  
Review
Bioinspired Interfacial Friction Control: From Chemistry to Structures to Mechanics
by Yunsong Kong, Shuanhong Ma and Feng Zhou
Biomimetics 2024, 9(4), 200; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/biomimetics9040200 - 27 Mar 2024
Viewed by 588
Abstract
Organisms in nature have evolved a variety of surfaces with different tribological properties to adapt to the environment. By studying, understanding, and summarizing the friction and lubrication regulation phenomena of typical surfaces in nature, researchers have proposed various biomimetic friction regulation theories and [...] Read more.
Organisms in nature have evolved a variety of surfaces with different tribological properties to adapt to the environment. By studying, understanding, and summarizing the friction and lubrication regulation phenomena of typical surfaces in nature, researchers have proposed various biomimetic friction regulation theories and methods to guide the development of new lubrication materials and lubrication systems. The design strategies for biomimetic friction/lubrication materials and systems mainly include the chemistry, surface structure, and mechanics. With the deepening understanding of the mechanism of biomimetic lubrication and the increasing application requirements, the design strategy of multi-strategy coupling has gradually become the center of attention for researchers. This paper focuses on the interfacial chemistry, surface structure, and surface mechanics of a single regulatory strategy and multi-strategy coupling approach. Based on the common biological friction regulation mechanism in nature, this paper reviews the research progress on biomimetic friction/lubrication materials in recent years, discusses and analyzes the single and coupled design strategies as well as their advantages and disadvantages, and describes the design concepts, working mechanisms, application prospects, and current problems of such materials. Finally, the development direction of biomimetic friction lubrication materials is prospected. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological Attachment Systems and Biomimetics)
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19 pages, 2256 KiB  
Review
Studying Stickiness: Methods, Trade-Offs, and Perspectives in Measuring Reversible Biological Adhesion and Friction
by Luc M. van den Boogaart, Julian K. A. Langowski and Guillermo J. Amador
Biomimetics 2022, 7(3), 134; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/biomimetics7030134 - 15 Sep 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2626
Abstract
Controlled, reversible attachment is widely spread throughout the animal kingdom: from ticks to tree frogs, whose weights span from 2 mg to 200 g, and from geckos to mosquitoes, who stick under vastly different situations, such as quickly climbing trees and stealthily landing [...] Read more.
Controlled, reversible attachment is widely spread throughout the animal kingdom: from ticks to tree frogs, whose weights span from 2 mg to 200 g, and from geckos to mosquitoes, who stick under vastly different situations, such as quickly climbing trees and stealthily landing on human hosts. A fascinating and complex interplay of adhesive and frictional forces forms the foundation of attachment of these highly diverse systems to various substrates. In this review, we present an overview of the techniques used to quantify the adhesion and friction of terrestrial animals, with the aim of informing future studies on the fundamentals of bioadhesion, and motivating the development and adoption of new or alternative measurement techniques. We classify existing methods with respect to the forces they measure, including magnitude and source, i.e., generated by the whole body, single limbs, or by sub-structures. Additionally, we compare their versatility, specifically what parameters can be measured, controlled, and varied. This approach reveals critical trade-offs of bioadhesion measurement techniques. Beyond stimulating future studies on evolutionary and physicochemical aspects of bioadhesion, understanding the fundamentals of biological attachment is key to the development of biomimetic technologies, from soft robotic grippers to gentle surgical tools. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological Attachment Systems and Biomimetics)
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