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Full-Text Articles in Mechanical Engineering
Plant-Biomimetic Hydrogel Actuators: Creating Movement In Hydrogels Through The Study Of Plants, Christen Rhodes
Plant-Biomimetic Hydrogel Actuators: Creating Movement In Hydrogels Through The Study Of Plants, Christen Rhodes
Theses and Dissertations
Plants are sessile organisms that have developed methods of movement to respond to environmental stimuli. Some of the approaches feature the unequal expansion of cells and controlling deformation direction through fibers under swelling and drying. Hydrogels are three dimensional polymer networks that have the capacity for large volume changes due their affinity for water and can be tough and/or stimuli-responsive. In this paper, three preliminary plant-biomimetic hydrogel actuator designs are discussed and tested from wet to dry. The first actuator design, termed a 1%-0.1% bilayer, features two layers of different swelling and drying rates due to differences in cross-linking density. …
Wetting, Superhydrophobicity, And Icephobicity In Biomimetic Composite Materials, Vahid Hejazi
Wetting, Superhydrophobicity, And Icephobicity In Biomimetic Composite Materials, Vahid Hejazi
Theses and Dissertations
Recent developments in nano- and bio-technology require new materials. Among these new classes of materials which have emerged in the recent years are biomimetic materials, which mimic structure and properties of materials found in living nature. There are a large number of biological objects including bacteria, animals and plants with properties of interest for engineers. Among these properties is the ability of the lotus leaf and other natural materials to repel water, which has inspired researchers to prepare similar surfaces. The Lotus effect involving roughness-induced superhydrophobicity is a way to design nonwetting, self-cleaning, omniphobic, icephobic, and antifouling surfaces. The range …