Marine and Environmental Sensing Technology Hub-MESTECH, National Centre for Sensor Research, School of Chemical Sciences, Dublin City University, Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Ireland.
Bioinspir Biomim. 2011 Dec;6(4):046001. doi: 10.1088/1748-3182/6/4/046001. Epub 2011 Oct 12.
There is a current need to develop novel non-toxic antifouling materials. The mechanisms utilized by marine organisms to prevent fouling of external surfaces are of interest in this regard. Biomimicry of these mechanisms and the ability to transfer the antifouling characteristics of these surfaces to artificial surfaces are a highly attractive prospect to those developing antifouling technologies. In order to achieve this, the mechanisms responsible for any antifouling ability must be elucidated from the study of the natural organism and the critical surface parameters responsible for fouling reduction. Dermal denticles of members of the shark family have been speculated to possess some natural, as yet unidentified antifouling mechanism related to the physical presence of denticles. In this study, the dermal denticles of one particular member of the slow-swimming sharks, Scyliorhinus canicula were characterized and it was found that a significant natural variation in denticle dimensions exists in this species. The degree of denticle surface contamination was quantified on denticles at various locations and it was determined that the degree of contamination of the dorsal surface of denticles varies with the position on the shark body. In addition, we successfully produced synthetic sharkskin samples using the real skin as a template. Testing of the produced synthetic skin in field conditions resulted in significant differences in material attachment on surfaces exhibiting denticles of different dimensions.
目前需要开发新型无毒防污材料。在这方面，海洋生物用于防止外部表面结垢的机制引起了人们的兴趣。仿生这些机制并能够将这些表面的防污特性转移到人工表面上，这对于开发防污技术的人来说是一个极具吸引力的前景。为了实现这一目标，必须从对天然生物的研究中阐明任何防污能力的机制，以及负责减少结垢的关键表面参数。鲨鱼家族成员的真皮齿被推测具有某种与齿的物理存在有关的天然的、尚未确定的防污机制。在这项研究中，对一种游动缓慢的鲨鱼，星鲨的真皮齿进行了特征描述，发现该物种的齿尺寸存在显著的自然变异。在不同位置的齿上量化了齿表面污染的程度，并确定了齿背部的污染程度随鲨鱼身体位置的变化而变化。此外，我们还成功地使用真实皮肤作为模板生产了合成鲨鱼皮样品。在野外条件下对生产的合成皮肤进行测试，结果表明，在具有不同尺寸齿的表面上，材料的附着程度存在显著差异。
