Slippery Coating Repels Insects

Oct-01-13 A bio-inspired surface made up of ‘cuticular folds’ could help prevent insects and other crawlies from clinging to surfaces such as pipes and ducts.

Created by a team from the University of Freiburg, the surface coating mimics that found on the outer cuticle of a leaf. By observing beetles moving along various leaf surfaces, the team found that cuticular folds with a height and width of about 0.5 micrometers and a spacing between 0.5 and 1.5 micrometers reduced the contact area between the surface and the insect’s adhesive leg hairs. The result was a surface with even less traction than glass, with the added bonus of being very water repellent.

The team is now working on ways to customize the size the folds, which would repel different types of insects, and to bring synthetic versions of the coating into production.

More Info about this Invention:

[GIZMAG.COM]
[UNIVERSITY OF FREIBURG]

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