Soffiatti Patricia, Bonfante Natália O, Jaculiski Maria Clara L, Rowe Nick P
Botany Post Graduate Programme, Department of Botany, Federal University of Parana (UFPR), Curitiba 81531-990, Brazil.
AMAP, University of Montpellier, CIRAD, CNRS, INRAE, IRD, 34398 Montpellier, France.
Biomimetics (Basel). 2025 Jul 23;10(8):487. doi: 10.3390/biomimetics10080487.
Cacti are of interest for new bio-inspired technologies because of their remarkable adaptations to extreme environments. Recently, they have inspired functional designs from nano fibres to optimised buildings and architectures. We investigate the diversity of cactus skin properties in terms of toughness and resistance to cutting damage. Cacti are well known for their extreme adaptations to harsh environments, with soft, fleshy stems that expand and contract with water uptake and storage. This functioning is made possible by an extendable outer envelope (skin) and a fluted 3-dimensional structure of the stem. We explore the mechanical toughness and underlying structural organisation of the cactus skin in four species of cactus showing different growth forms. The toughness properties of the cactus skin is only one part of a multi-functional structure for surviving in extreme environments. The study suggests that survival involves a relatively "light" investment of tough materials in the outer envelope instead of a rigid "defensive" layer. This is capable of elastic deformation and enables water storage in challenging, arid environments. The main purpose of this article is to demonstrate the diversity of skin toughness and underlying structures in the biological world as providing potential new designs for technical envelopes.
由于仙人掌对极端环境具有显著的适应性，它们在新型生物启发技术方面备受关注。最近，它们激发了从纳米纤维到优化建筑和架构的功能性设计。我们从韧性和抗切割损伤方面研究仙人掌表皮特性的多样性。仙人掌以其对恶劣环境的极端适应而闻名，其柔软多肉的茎会随着水分的吸收和储存而膨胀和收缩。这种功能通过可扩展的外层包膜（表皮）和茎的带槽三维结构得以实现。我们研究了四种具有不同生长形态的仙人掌的表皮机械韧性和潜在的结构组织。仙人掌表皮的韧性特性只是其在极端环境中生存的多功能结构的一部分。该研究表明，生存涉及在外层包膜中相对“轻量”地投入坚韧材料，而非形成刚性的“防御”层。这能够进行弹性变形，并在具有挑战性的干旱环境中实现水分储存。本文的主要目的是展示生物界中表皮韧性和潜在结构的多样性，为技术包膜提供潜在的新设计。
