Research report 2003 - Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart site

Micro- / nanomechanics of biological materials and systems

Authors
Arzt, Eduard; Gorb, Stanislav; Huber, Gerrit; Niederegger, Senta; Pfaff, Holger; Spolenak, Ralph; Vötsch, Walter
Departments

Mikro- und Nanomechanik von Dünnschichten und Biosystemen (Prof. Dr. Joachim P. Spatz)
MPI für Metallforschung, Stuttgart

Summary
During the course of evolution biological systems have developed interesting micro- and nano-mechanical solutions, which mankind to a great extend does still not understand. At the Max-Planck-Institute for Metals Research in Stuttgart materials researchers and biologists work together in order to find out how micro-mechanical concepts, theories and methods can be applied to biological phenomena. At the same time the researchers expect to be inspired by the study of biological principles for the solution of technical problems. Our department examines on a micron and submicron scale the structure and function of biological systems regarding adhesion, friction and clamp mechanisms. The following contribution describes our research results on hairy and smooth adhesive systems of various animal species. A more detailed illustration is given of structure, biomechanics and chemistry. Furthermore we illustrate the results of the micro-mechanical measurement of the occurring adhesive forces. The article closes with our thoughts about how these theories may be transferred to biologically inspired systems.

For the full text, see the German version.

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