Posted October 25, 2017

 

By Seshadri Ramkumar

 

LUBBOCK, Texas – Biomimetic approaches can help with the development of sophisticated high-performance textiles.

 

A team of researchers from Ithaca, N.Y.-based Cornell University and Woods Hole, Mass.-based Marine Biological Laboratory have borrowed inspiration from cephalopods such as octopus in devising camouflage materials.

 

Nonwoven textile structure was used in conjunction with elastomeric silicone membranes in developing a structure that enables papillae like structures, as found in octopi.

 

Scientists took clues from octopus’ morphology to develop synthetic structures that can transform quickly from its two-dimensional structures into three-dimensional shapes, which adapts well with its environment, similar to what octopus does in real life situations.

 

The nonwoven textile structure is flexible but not stretchable and has hierarchical structure, which enables the stretchable membrane to assume three-dimensional shapes. This is similar to what happens with the papilla in octopi. The textile structure helps with inflating and stretching the elastomeric membranes.

 

According to researchers, the hierarchical structure with the help of pneumatics will enable the 3D shapes to happen, which otherwise is not possible.

 

Such a biomimetic approach may one day help with the better designing of stretchable sportswear, protective and camouflage suits.

 

The work has appeared in a recent issue of journal “Science,” published by American Association for the Advancement of Science.

 

Dr. Seshadri Ramkumar, Ph.D, FTA (honorary), is a professor at the Nonwovens & Advanced Materials Laboratory at Texas Tech.

Inspired by shape-shifting octopus, team develops camouflage material