Biomimetic surface structures in steel fabricated with femtosecond laser pulses: influence of laser rescanning on morphology and wettability

• Camilo Florian Baron,
• Alexandros Mimidis,
• Daniel Puerto,
• Evangelos Skoulas,
• Emmanuel Stratakis,
• Javier Solis and
• Jan Siegel

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 2802–2812, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.262

• size of the structures decreases somewhat upon increasing number of scans, although still well above the initial size of the cones for a single scan. Within a biomimetic context, similar structures can be found on the skin of the Texas horned lizard, as shown in Figure 2E [30]. Their function is also

• when keeping the total number of pulses constant. In particular, the obtained structures resemble those found on the skin of the Texas horned lizard, the Python regius snake, the western diamondback rattlesnake, as well as on the integument of the bark bug, featuring fluid transport and friction

• shape of one or a few of the unit structures is outlined in red. In E), from left to right, images of the corresponding real structures found in the Dysodius lunatus bark bug [29], Texas horned lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum) (image adapted from [30], an article under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0

Moisture harvesting and water transport through specialized micro-structures on the integument of lizards

• Philipp Comanns,
• Christian Effertz,
• Florian Hischen,
• Konrad Staudt,
• Wolfgang Böhme and
• Werner Baumgartner

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2011, 2, 204–214, doi:10.3762/bjnano.2.24

• (Phrynocephalus arabicus) and the Texas horned lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum). All three lizards have a honeycomb like micro ornamentation on the outer surface of the scales and a complex capillary system in between the scales. By investigation of individual scales and by producing and characterising polymer

• directed to the mouth. Taken together we found that the micro ornamentation yields a superhydrophilic surface, and the semi-tubular capillaries allow for an efficient passive – and for Phrynosoma directed – transport of water. Keywords: capillary; horned lizard; rain harvesting; thorny devil; water

• the mouth, performed by means of particular micro structures. As most of these lizards are unable to lick water from most parts of their body, such a water transport mechanism is essential for them. The stereotypic moisture harvesting behaviour of the Texas horned lizard Phrynosoma cornutum (Iguanidae