Maggot skin strengthens as it dries: blowfly

Skin of blowfly maggots grows more waterproof as it dries because it forms strong, stable, cooperative structures when water is reduced.

Biomimicry Taxonomy

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Biomimetic Application Ideas

Preparation of structural materials using aqueous pathways' instead of using current high temperature processing.

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[Collapse all sections] Summary

"The cuticle of a maggot goes through a mechanical transition when it dries, increasing in stiffness by about an order of magnitude (e.g. from 0.5 GPa to 5 GPa) as the water content drops from about 1 g/g (weight of water per unit dry weight) to 0.4 g/g. Thus stiffness represents the loss of freezable water and is more or less diagnostic of a material stabilized by hydrogen bonds. Further loss in water results in a smaller increase in stiffness. In natural systems the water content is controlled by the addition of phenolic residues, resulting in tanning or sclerotisation, which drives the matrix components towards co-operative interaction and makes the material permanently waterproof." (Vincent 2004:4)

About the inspiring organism

Calliphora
Calliphora

Organism/taxonomy data provided by:
Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2008 Annual Checklist

Bioinspired products and application ideas

Application Ideas: Preparation of structural materials using aqueous pathways' instead of using current high temperature processing.

Industrial Sector(s) interested in this strategy: Manufacturing

Shrilk composite film - Composite film

Experts

Biotriz Limited
Julian Vincent

References

Vincent, JFV. 2004. Dynamics of drying in phenolically tanned materials. Journal of Bionics Engineering. 1(1): 4-8.

Maggot skin strengthens as it dries: blowfly

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