Biomimetics on the micro- and nanoscale – The 25th anniversary of the lotus effect

• Matthias Mail,
• Kerstin Koch,
• Thomas Speck,
• William M. Megill and
• Stanislav N. Gorb

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 850–856, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.69

• Research Center, Stefan-Meier-Strasse 21, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany Centre for Biomimetic and Natural Technologies, Faculty of Technology and Bionics, Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences, Marie-Curie-Str. 1, D-47533 Kleve, Germany Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Institute of

Dry under water: air retaining properties of large-scale elastomer foils covered with mushroom-shaped surface microstructures

• Matthias Mail,
• Stefan Walheim,
• Thomas Schimmel,
• Wilhelm Barthlott,
• Stanislav N. Gorb and
• Lars Heepe

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 1370–1379, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.113

• and that the biomimetic elastomer foil is a promising base for the development of an economically and efficient biomimetic air retaining surface for a broad range of technical applications. Keywords: adhesive tape; air layer; air retention; bionics; fouling; gecko tape; mushroom structures; passive

Hierarchical Bi₂WO₆/TiO₂-nanotube composites derived from natural cellulose for visible-light photocatalytic treatment of pollutants

• Zehao Lin,
• Zhan Yang and
• Jianguo Huang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 745–762, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.66

• bionics procedure using natural cellulose can be used in the fabrication of Bi2WO6/TiO2 composites. However, the relationship between the structure and activity of these compounds still remain to be deeply investigated. In this work, cellulose-derived Bi2WO6/TiO2-NT heterostructured composites were

Numerical analysis of vibration modes of a qPlus sensor with a long tip

• Kebei Chen,
• Zhenghui Liu,
• Yuchen Xie,
• Chunyu Zhang,
• Gengzhao Xu,
• Wentao Song and
• Ke Xu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 82–92, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.7

• Kebei Chen Zhenghui Liu Yuchen Xie Chunyu Zhang Gengzhao Xu Wentao Song Ke Xu School of Nano Technology and Nano Bionics, University of Science and Technology of China, Suzhou 215123, China Platform for Characterization and Test, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of

• Sciences (CAS), Suzhou 215123, China CAS Key Laboratory of Nanophotonic Materials and Devices, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Suzhou 215123, China 10.3762/bjnano.12.7 Abstract We study the oscillatory behavior of qPlus sensors with a long tilted tip by means of finite element simulations

Bidirectional biomimetic flow sensing with antiparallel and curved artificial hair sensors

• Claudio Abels,
• Antonio Qualtieri,
• Toni Lober,
• Alessandro Mariotti,
• Lily D. Chambers,
• Massimo De Vittorio,
• William M. Megill and
• Francesco Rizzi

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 32–46, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.4

• of Technology and Bionics, Kleve, D-47533, Germany Università del Salento, Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell’Innovazione, Lecce (LE), I-73100, Italy Westphalian University of Applied Sciences, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Bocholt, D-46397, Germany Università di Pisa, Dipartimento di Ingegneria

Electrostatic force spectroscopy revealing the degree of reduction of individual graphene oxide sheets

• Yue Shen,
• Ying Wang,
• Yuan Zhou,
• Chunxi Hai,
• Jun Hu and
• Yi Zhang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 1146–1155, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.106

• corresponding descriptions. Peak EFM phase, the corresponding tip biases used in EFM imaging, and parabola opening values (from the EFS measurements in Figure 2o). Acknowledgements We thank Professor Zhenghui Liu from Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-bionics (Chinese Academy of Sciences) for helpful

Air–water interface of submerged superhydrophobic surfaces imaged by atomic force microscopy

• Markus Moosmann,
• Thomas Schimmel,
• Wilhelm Barthlott and
• Matthias Mail

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 1671–1679, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.167

• open new possibilities for the investigation of air-retaining surfaces, specifically in terms of measuring contact area and in comparing different coatings, and thus will lead to the development of new applications. Keywords: AFM in liquid; air retention; atomic force microscopy; bionics; Salvinia

Innovations from the “ivory tower”: Wilhelm Barthlott and the paradigm shift in surface science

• Christoph Neinhuis

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 394–402, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.41

• . Although this particular feature is easily observed and has nowadays become a standard experiment even in schools teaching bionics or biomimetics, it was virtually impossible to publish the results. Apart from an internal report of the University of Bonn [39] several attempts to publish the results failed

Structural and tribometric characterization of biomimetically inspired synthetic "insect adhesives"

• Matthias W. Speidel,
• Malte Kleemeier,
• Andreas Hartwig,
• Klaus Rischka,
• Angelika Ellermann,
• Rolf Daniels and
• Oliver Betz

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 45–63, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.6

• able to mimic certain rheological and tribological properties of natural tarsal insect adhesives. Keywords: adhesion; bionics; emulsion; friction; insects; Introduction During evolution, insects have developed the ability to move vertically and upside-down on various kinds of surface, a feat that has

The cleaner, the greener? Product sustainability assessment of the biomimetic façade paint Lotusan^® in comparison to the conventional façade paint Jumbosil^®

• Florian Antony,
• Rainer Grießhammer,
• Thomas Speck and
• Olga Speck

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2016, 7, 2100–2115, doi:10.3762/bjnano.7.200

• generated it is essential to use the same methodology. In recent years, a number of research programs, starting with BIONA by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the scholarship program “Bionics” by the German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU) have been set up to promote

Functional fusion of living systems with synthetic electrode interfaces

• Oskar Staufer,
• Sebastian Weber,
• C. Peter Bengtson,
• Hilmar Bading,
• Joachim P. Spatz and
• Amin Rustom

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2016, 7, 296–301, doi:10.3762/bjnano.7.27

• developed into a principal ambition for various scientific disciplines. In particular, emerging fields such as bionics and nanomedicine integrate advanced nanomaterials with biomolecules, cells and organisms in order to develop novel strategies for applications, including energy production or real-time

Template-controlled mineralization: Determining film granularity and structure by surface functionality patterns

• Nina J. Blumenstein,
• Jonathan Berson,
• Stefan Walheim,
• Petia Atanasova,
• Johannes Baier,
• Joachim Bill and
• Thomas Schimmel

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 1763–1768, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.180

• ”. The support within the scope of the DFG priority program 1569 “Generation of multifunctional inorganic materials by molecular bionics” is also gratefully acknowledged.

Towards multifunctional inorganic materials: biopolymeric templates

• Claudia Steinem and
• Joachim Bill

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 1698–1699, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.172

• generation of inorganic functional materials not found in living nature. This highly topical research field is currently drawing worldwide attention and is a main subject of the Priority Program 1569, “Generation of multifunctional inorganic materials by molecular bionics”, of the Deutsche

Multifunctional layered magnetic composites

• Maria Siglreitmeier,
• Baohu Wu,
• Tina Kollmann,
• Martin Neubauer,
• Gergely Nagy,
• Dietmar Schwahn,
• Vitaliy Pipich,
• Damien Faivre,
• Dirk Zahn,
• Andreas Fery and
• Helmut Cölfen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 134–148, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.13

• ). This work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft within the priority program SPP 1569 "Generation of Multifunctional Inorganic Materials by Molecular Bionics".

Electrostatic interplay: The interaction triangle of polyamines, silicic acid, and phosphate studied through turbidity measurements, silicomolybdic acid test, and ²⁹Si NMR spectroscopy

• Anne Jantschke,
• Katrin Spinde and
• Eike Brunner

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 2026–2035, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.211

• Forschungsgemeinschaft (grants no. Br 1278/24-1 within the Research Unit FOR 2038 “Nanopatterned Organic Matrices in Biological Silica Mineralization” and Br 1278/ 25-2 within the SPP 1562 “Generation of Multifunctional Inorganic Materials by Molecular Bionics”).

The protein corona protects against size- and dose-dependent toxicity of amorphous silica nanoparticles

• Dominic Docter,
• Christoph Bantz,
• Dana Westmeier,
• Hajo J. Galla,
• Qiangbin Wang,
• James C. Kirkpatrick,
• Peter Nielsen,
• Michael Maskos and
• Roland H. Stauber

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 1380–1392, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.151

• , 55129 Mainz, Germany Institute of Biochemistry, Westfälische Wilhelms-University, Wilhelm Klemm-Str. 2, 48149 Münster, Germany Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, 215123 China Institute of Pathology, University Medical Centre, Institute of Pathology

The surface microstructure of cusps and leaflets in rabbit and mouse heart valves

• Xia Ye,
• Bharat Bhushan,
• Ming Zhou and
• Weining Lei

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 622–629, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.73

• fabrication of valve substitutes or partial substitutes. Namely, the model may help ameliorate heart valve replacement surgery. Keywords: contact angle; geometric parameter; heart valve; hemocompatibility; microstructure; Introduction Bionics, or biomimetics, have made tremendous developments in the past

Impact of cell shape in hierarchically structured plant surfaces on the attachment of male Colorado potato beetles (Leptinotarsa decemlineata)

• Bettina Prüm,
• Robin Seidel,
• Holger Florian Bohn and
• Thomas Speck

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2012, 3, 57–64, doi:10.3762/bjnano.3.7

• Bettina Prum Robin Seidel Holger Florian Bohn Thomas Speck Plant Biomechanics Group Freiburg, Botanic Garden, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestraße 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany Bionics Competence Network BIOKON e. V., Ackerstraße 76, 13355 Berlin, Germany Competence Network

Hierarchically structured superhydrophobic flowers with low hysteresis of the wild pansy (Viola tricolor) – new design principles for biomimetic materials

• Anna J. Schulte,
• Damian M. Droste,
• Kerstin Koch and
• Wilhelm Barthlott

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2011, 2, 228–236, doi:10.3762/bjnano.2.27

• Information Supporting Information File 8: Additional figures. Acknowledgements This study was supported by the German Science Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft; DFG), within the Graduiertenkolleg 1572 “Bionics – Interactions across Boundaries to the Environment”. The authors thank Professor

Functional morphology, biomechanics and biomimetic potential of stem–branch connections in Dracaena reflexa and Freycinetia insignis

• Tom Masselter,
• Sandra Eckert and
• Thomas Speck

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2011, 2, 173–185, doi:10.3762/bjnano.2.21

• Tom Masselter Sandra Eckert Thomas Speck Plant Biomechanics Group Freiburg, Botanic Garden, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestraße 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany Competence Network Biomimetics and Bionics Competence Network BIOKON e.V 10.3762/bjnano.2.21 Abstract Branching in

Biomimetic materials

• Wilhelm Barthlott and
• Kerstin Koch

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2011, 2, 135–136, doi:10.3762/bjnano.2.16

• biological systems for a technical application began astonishingly quite late: Bionics and biomimetics became important only after 1960, and it was only in the new millennium they became worldwide disciplines with high potentials for innovation. An apparently simple observation can lead to new materials

• only appeared on the market in 1999. Bionics concentrated in the first decades, in particular, on highly complex biomechanic problems: the hovering of humming birds and robot locomotion. Today a focal point is the incredibly specific diversity of biological materials, materials with micro and nano