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To Combat Biological Build-up, Engineers Look to Nature for Inspiration
The giant blue morpho butterfly (foreground) is among natural objects that inspire Ohio State engineers Bharat Bhushan (left) and Gregory Bixler (right).
Credit: Jo McCulty, courtesy The Ohio State University
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Butterfly wings are characterized by shingle-like scales (above), which keep water from pooling, and microgrooves (below), which repel water and reduce surface adhesion. These features help keep the surface free of debris and contaminants.
Credit: Scanning electron microscope image (top) and optical profiler rendering (bottom), courtesy Bharat Bhushan and Greg Bixler, The Ohio State University
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Rice leaves are characterized by waxy bumps (above), which repel water and prevent contaminants from adhering to a surface, as well as grooves (below) that keep water from pooling on a surface. Incorporating these features into man-made products could help engineers tackle unwanted biological build-up in a wide variety of industries.
Credit: Scanning electron microscope image (top) and optical profiler rendering (bottom) courtesy of Bharat Bhushan and Greg Bixler, The Ohio State University
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