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Khattak HK, Karpitschka S, Snoeijer JH, Dalnoki-Veress K. Direct force measurement of microscopic droplets pulled along soft surfaces. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4436. [PMID: 35907882 PMCID: PMC9338979 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31910-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
When a droplet is placed on a soft surface, surface tension deforms the substrate, creating a capillary ridge. We study how the motion of the ridge dissipates energy in microscopic droplets. Using a micropipette based method, we are able to simultaneously image and measure forces on a microscopic droplet moving at a constant speed along a soft film supported on a rigid substrate. Changing the thickness of the thin film tunes the effective stiffness of the substrate. Thus we can control the ridge size without altering the surface chemistry. We find that the dissipation depends strongly on the film thickness, decreasing monotonically as effective stiffness increases. This monotonic trend is beyond the realm of small deformation theory, but can be explained with a simple scaling analysis. Elastic deformation of soft substrates occurs upon wetting, yet it is challenging to follow its dynamics at a microscale. Khattak et al. show that the force required to pull a droplet along a soft surface decreases monotonically as the film thickness decreases and explain the phenomenon using a scaling analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamza K Khattak
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4M1, Canada
| | - Stefan Karpitschka
- Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jacco H Snoeijer
- Physics of Fluids Group, Mesa+ Institute, University of Twente, 7500, AE Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Kari Dalnoki-Veress
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4M1, Canada. .,UMR CNRS Gulliver 7083, ESPCI Paris, PSL Research University, 75005, Paris, France.
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Fradera-Soler M, Grace OM, Jørgensen B, Mravec J. Elastic and collapsible: current understanding of cell walls in succulent plants. J Exp Bot 2022; 73:2290-2307. [PMID: 35167681 PMCID: PMC9015807 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erac054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Succulent plants represent a large functional group of drought-resistant plants that store water in specialized tissues. Several co-adaptive traits accompany this water-storage capacity to constitute the succulent syndrome. A widely reported anatomical adaptation of cell walls in succulent tissues allows them to fold in a regular fashion during extended drought, thus preventing irreversible damage and permitting reversible volume changes. Although ongoing research on crop and model species continuously reports the importance of cell walls and their dynamics in drought resistance, the cell walls of succulent plants have received relatively little attention to date, despite the potential of succulents as natural capital to mitigate the effects of climate change. In this review, we summarize current knowledge of cell walls in drought-avoiding succulents and their effects on tissue biomechanics, water relations, and photosynthesis. We also highlight the existing knowledge gaps and propose a hypothetical model for regulated cell wall folding in succulent tissues upon dehydration. Future perspectives of methodological development in succulent cell wall characterization, including the latest technological advances in molecular and imaging techniques, are also presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Fradera-Soler
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg, Denmark
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK
- Correspondence: or
| | | | | | - Jozef Mravec
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871 Frederiksberg, Denmark
- Correspondence: or
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Mylo MD, Hesse L, Masselter T, Leupold J, Drozella K, Speck T, Speck O. Morphology and Anatomy of Branch-Branch Junctions in Opuntia ficus-indica and Cylindropuntia bigelovii: A Comparative Study Supported by Mechanical Tissue Quantification. Plants (Basel) 2021; 10:plants10112313. [PMID: 34834679 PMCID: PMC8618873 DOI: 10.3390/plants10112313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Revised: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
The Opuntioideae include iconic cacti whose lateral branch-branch junctions are intriguing objects from a mechanical viewpoint. We have compared Opuntia ficus-indica, which has stable branch connections, with Cylindropuntia bigelovii, whose side branches abscise under slight mechanical stress. To determine the underlying structures and mechanical characteristics of these stable versus shedding cacti junctions, we conducted magnetic resonance imaging, morphometric and anatomical analyses of the branches and tensile tests of individual tissues. The comparison revealed differences in geometry, shape and material properties as follows: (i) a more pronounced tapering of the cross-sectional area towards the junctions supports the abscission of young branches of C. bigelovii. (ii) Older branches of O. ficus-indica form, initially around the branch-branch junctions, collar-shaped periderm tissue. This secondary coverage mechanically stiffens the dermal tissue, giving a threefold increase in strength and a tenfold increase in the elastic modulus compared with the epidermis. (iii) An approximately 200-fold higher elastic modulus of the vascular bundles of O. ficus-indica is a prerequisite for the stable junction of its young branches. Our results provide, for both biological and engineered materials systems, important insights into the geometric characteristics and mechanical properties of branching joints that are either stable or easily detachable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max D. Mylo
- Plant Biomechanics Group @ Botanic Garden, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestraße 1, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany; (L.H.); (T.M.); (T.S.); (O.S.)
- Cluster of Excellence livMatS @ FIT—Freiburg Center for Interactive Materials and Bioinspired Technologies, University of Freiburg, Georges-Köhler-Allee 105, D-79110 Freiburg, Germany
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-761-203-2604
| | - Linnea Hesse
- Plant Biomechanics Group @ Botanic Garden, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestraße 1, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany; (L.H.); (T.M.); (T.S.); (O.S.)
- Cluster of Excellence livMatS @ FIT—Freiburg Center for Interactive Materials and Bioinspired Technologies, University of Freiburg, Georges-Köhler-Allee 105, D-79110 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Tom Masselter
- Plant Biomechanics Group @ Botanic Garden, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestraße 1, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany; (L.H.); (T.M.); (T.S.); (O.S.)
| | - Jochen Leupold
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Medical Physics, Medical Center—University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Killianstraße 5a, D-79106 Freiburg, Germany;
| | - Kathrin Drozella
- Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, Bertoldstraße 17, D-79098 Freiburg, Germany;
| | - Thomas Speck
- Plant Biomechanics Group @ Botanic Garden, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestraße 1, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany; (L.H.); (T.M.); (T.S.); (O.S.)
- Cluster of Excellence livMatS @ FIT—Freiburg Center for Interactive Materials and Bioinspired Technologies, University of Freiburg, Georges-Köhler-Allee 105, D-79110 Freiburg, Germany
- Freiburg Materials Research Center (FMF), University of Freiburg, Stefan-Meier-Straße 21, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Olga Speck
- Plant Biomechanics Group @ Botanic Garden, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestraße 1, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany; (L.H.); (T.M.); (T.S.); (O.S.)
- Cluster of Excellence livMatS @ FIT—Freiburg Center for Interactive Materials and Bioinspired Technologies, University of Freiburg, Georges-Köhler-Allee 105, D-79110 Freiburg, Germany
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Knapczyk-Korczak J, Stachewicz U. Biomimicking spider webs for effective fog water harvesting with electrospun polymer fibers. Nanoscale 2021; 13:16034-16051. [PMID: 34581383 DOI: 10.1039/d1nr05111c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Fog is an underestimated source of water, especially in regions where conventional methods of water harvesting are impossible, ineffective, or challenging for low-cost water resources. Interestingly, many novel methods and developments for effective water harvesting are inspired by nature. Therefore, in this review, we focused on one of the most researched and developing forms of electrospun polymer fibers, which successfully imitate many fascinating natural materials for instance spider webs. We showed how fiber morphology and wetting properties can increase the fog collection rate, and also observed the influence of fog water collection parameters on testing their efficiency. This review summarizes the current state of the art on water collection by fibrous meshes and offers suggestions for the testing of new designs under laboratory conditions by classifying the parameters already reported in experimental set-ups. This is extremely important, as fog collection under laboratory conditions is the first step toward creating a new water harvesting technology. This review summarizes all the approaches taken so far to develop the most effective water collection systems based on electrospun polymer fibers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Knapczyk-Korczak
- AGH University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Metals Engineering and Industrial Computer Science, al. A. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Kraków, Poland.
| | - Urszula Stachewicz
- AGH University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Metals Engineering and Industrial Computer Science, al. A. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Kraków, Poland.
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Vega C, Valbuena-Carabaña M, Gil L, Fernández V. Water Sorption and Desorption of Isolated Cuticles From Three Woody Species With Focus on Ilex aquifolium. Front Plant Sci 2021; 12:728627. [PMID: 34671373 PMCID: PMC8522496 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.728627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The cuticle is a lipid-rich layer that protects aerial plant organs against multiple stress factors such as dehydration. In this study, cuticle composition and structure in relation to water loss are examined in a broad ecophysiological context, taking into consideration leaf age and side from Ilex aquifolium (holly) in comparison with Eucalyptus globulus (eucalypt) and Prunus laurocerasus (cherry laurel). Enzymatically isolated cuticular membranes from holly leaves were studied under three treatment conditions: natural (no chemical treatment), after dewaxing, and after methanolysis, and the rate of water loss was assessed. Structural and chemical changes were evaluated using different microscopy techniques and by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The potential mechanisms of solute absorption by holly leaves were additionally evaluated, also testing if its prickly leaf margin may facilitate uptake. The results indicate that the treatment conditions led to structural changes, and that chemical composition was hardly affected because of the occurrence of cutan. Structural changes led to more hydrophilic adaxial surfaces, which retained more water and were more efficient than natural cuticles, while changes were not significant for abaxial surfaces. Across natural cuticles, age was a significant factor for eucalypt but not for holly. Young eucalypt cuticles were the group that absorbed more water and had the lowest water loss rate. When comparing older leaf cuticles of the three species, cherry laurel was found to absorb more water, which was, however, lost more slowly, compared with the other species. Evidence was gained that holly leaves can absorb foliar-applied solutes (traced after calcium chloride application) through the adaxial and abaxial surfaces, the adaxial mid veins, and to a lower extent, the spines. In conclusion, for the species examined, the results show variations in leaf cuticle composition and structure in relation to leaf ontogeny, and water sorption and desorption capacity.
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Wang Y, Naleway SE, Wang B. Biological and bioinspired materials: Structure leading to functional and mechanical performance. Bioact Mater 2020; 5:745-757. [PMID: 32637739 PMCID: PMC7317171 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2020.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 06/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Nature has achieved materials with properties and mechanisms that go far beyond the current know-how of the engineering-materials industry. The remarkable efficiency of biological materials, such as their exceptional properties that rely on weak constituents, high performance per unit mass, and diverse functionalities in addition to mechanical properties, has been mostly attributed to their hierarchical structure. Key strategies for bioinspired materials include formulating the fundamental understanding of biological materials that act as inspiration, correlating this fundamental understanding to engineering needs/problems, and fabricating hierarchically structured materials with enhanced properties accordingly. The vast, existing literature on biological and bioinspired materials can be discussed in terms of functional and mechanical aspects. Through essential representative properties and materials, the development of bioinspired materials utilizes the design strategies from biological systems to innovatively augment material performance for various practical applications, such as marine, aerospace, medical, and civil engineering. Despite the current challenges, bioinspired materials have become an important part in promoting innovations and breakthroughs in the modern materials industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yayun Wang
- Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, PR China
| | - Steven E. Naleway
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
| | - Bin Wang
- Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, PR China
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Bintein PB, Lhuissier H, Mongruel A, Royon L, Beysens D. Grooves Accelerate Dew Shedding. Phys Rev Lett 2019; 122:098005. [PMID: 30932522 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.122.098005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2018] [Revised: 11/12/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Gravity-driven drainage of small volumes of condensates, such as natural dew, is a challenge because small drops usually remain pinned to inclined surfaces. We report that submillimetric grooves substantially reduce dew retention by modifying the repartition of liquid: Because of a long-range coalescence mechanism mediated by grooves imbibition, the growth and shedding of large drops are accelerated. Such findings can be applied to increase the passive harvesting of dew as well as to accelerate the drainage of other condensates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre-Brice Bintein
- University Paris Diderot, CNRS, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire des Energies de Demain, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Henri Lhuissier
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, IUSTI, 13453 Marseille, France
- Physique et Mécanique des Milieux Hétérogènes, CNRS, ESPCI, PSL Research University, Sorbonne Université, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Anne Mongruel
- Physique et Mécanique des Milieux Hétérogènes, CNRS, ESPCI, PSL Research University, Sorbonne Université, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Laurent Royon
- University Paris Diderot, CNRS, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire des Energies de Demain, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Daniel Beysens
- Physique et Mécanique des Milieux Hétérogènes, CNRS, ESPCI, PSL Research University, Sorbonne Université, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 75005 Paris, France
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