In nature, the structures and functions of many plants and animals can provide inspiration for innovation in the adhesive industry. Here are some examples:
Plants
- Cocklebur: The seeds of cocklebur are covered with hooked spines. These spines can easily catch onto the fur of animals or human clothing, facilitating seed dispersal. This hooking mechanism provides inspiration for mechanical interlocking - type bonding in the adhesive industry. It can inspire the development of new materials that achieve firm bonding without relying on chemical adhesives, merely through physical structures. For instance, micro - mechanical connection elements similar to the hooked spines could be developed for connection and fixation in special applications.
- Lotus leaf: The surface of a lotus leaf has a super - hydrophobic micro - nano structure. This structure enables water droplets to roll off quickly and carry away dust and other impurities on the surface, achieving self - cleaning. Applying this self - cleaning principle to the adhesive field, self - cleaning adhesives can be developed. These adhesives can prevent the bonded surface from being easily soiled by dust and stains, maintaining good adhesive performance and appearance. They have great potential in applications such as outdoor advertising and building exteriors.
- Pine tree: When a pine tree is damaged, it secretes pine resin. Pine resin has good viscosity and water - resistance, which can help the pine tree seal wounds, prevent water loss, and keep out external pathogens. Inspired by the viscosity and water - resistance of pine resin, high - performance waterproof adhesives can be developed for use in underwater engineering, shipbuilding, and other fields with high requirements for waterproof performance.
Animals
- Octopus: The tentacles of an octopus are equipped with numerous suckers. These suckers can achieve strong adsorption by changing the internal pressure and closely adhering to various surfaces. They can also adapt to the shape of the object's surface. Drawing on the principle of octopus suckers, adaptive - shaped adsorption adhesives or fixtures can be developed. These have application prospects in parts grasping and fixing in industrial manufacturing, as well as in wound dressings in the medical field.
- Honeybee: Honeybees secrete beeswax to build honeycombs. Beeswax has certain viscosity and plasticity, allowing it to maintain its shape and achieve bonding under certain conditions. Studying the composition and properties of beeswax can help develop environmentally friendly and biodegradable natural adhesives for industries with high requirements for safety and environmental friendliness, such as food packaging and medicine.
- Water strider: Water striders can walk on the water surface due to the special micro - nano structure of their legs and the hydrophobic substances on the surface. This creates a special interfacial force between their legs and the water surface. Inspired by this, in the surface treatment technology of adhesives, adhesives with special surface properties can be developed. When in contact with specific materials, they can form a special force similar to that between water striders and the water surface, improving the stability and reliability of bonding. At the same time, some special functions may be achieved, such as bonding in a liquid environment or bonding with repellency to specific liquids.