Nature-inspired nanotechnology

Learn from hierarchical structure

Biological surfaces combine nanoscale and microscale features to manage colour, wetting, friction, protection and adhesion.

The lesson is often architectural: repeating features across scales can create a system response without copying the biological material itself.

Questions to ask

• Which natural function is being studied?
• What geometry produces the effect?
• Can the structure be manufactured responsibly?

Examples

• Structural colour
• Water-repellent textures
• Bio-inspired adhesion