Project description DEENESFRITPL Tiny combs inspired by spiders could untangle nanofibers and enhance application Nanofibers are about 100 times smaller in diameter than a human hair. Their minuscule dimensions alone make them difficult to manipulate. Add to that their tendency to 'stick' to other materials and handling them becomes a nightmare, impeding development of the wealth of applications they promise. Nature has endowed a quirky little spider with a row of leg bristles like a miniature comb that the spider uses to comb out the strands of silk it produces. BioCombs4Nanofibers plans to develop a way to mimic this system on a man-made surface. Its careful characterisation could lead to novel nanotools that are anti-adhesive when it comes to nanofibers, opening the door to easier nanofiber processing and a myriad of nanofiber applications. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective Challenge: Nanofibers are constantly drawing the attention of material scientists and engineers as their surface-to-used-material-ratio is beneficial for, e.g. medical applications. However, technical nanofiber processing, transportation or even simple things as spooling is inhibited by their attraction to any surface by van der Waals forces, the adhesive forces also enabling geckos to stick to the wall. Recent research aims for scale-up of the controllable production of nanofibers though have not enabled an easier handling and thus their application is still limited. A specific kind of nanofibers are nanofibrous protrusions of adherent cells and microorganisms. The interaction of these fibers with nanostructures is a key feature for their controlled adhesion at natural or artificial surfaces.Inspiration by nature: One major problem for handling of nanofibers is their stickiness to almost any surface due to van der Waals forces. However, there is a biological example to show how to tackle this problem in the future: cribellate spiders bear a specialized comb, the calamistrum, to handle and process nanofibers, which are assembled to their structural complex capture threads. These 10 – 30 nm thick fibers do not stick to the calamistrum due to a special fingerprint-like nanostructure. This structure causes the nanofibers to not smoothly adapt to the surface of the calamistrum, but rather minimizes contact and thus reduce the adhesive forces between the nanofibers and the calamistrum. Radically new technological approach: The transfer of these bionic comb structures to a technical surface will enable that future tools for nanofiber handling (covered with such a nanostructure) are antiadhesive towards nanofibers. Similar nanostructures can hinder the adhesion of nanofibrous protrusions of cells or microorganisms, which may enable cell-repellent or antiseptic areas on medical devices and implants. Fields of science engineering and technologymaterials engineeringfibersmedical and health sciencesmedical biotechnologyimplantsnatural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiology Keywords nanofibers functional nanocombs cribellate spiders van der Waals forces biomimetic antiadhesive laser-processing laser-induced nanostructures Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.2. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Future and Emerging Technologies (FET) Main Programme H2020-EU.1.2.1. - FET Open Topic(s) FETOPEN-01-2018-2019-2020 - FET-Open Challenging Current Thinking Call for proposal H2020-FETOPEN-2018-2020 See other projects for this call Sub call H2020-FETOPEN-2018-2019-2020-01 Funding Scheme RIA - Research and Innovation action Coordinator UNIVERSITAT LINZ Net EU contribution € 606 562,50 Address Altenberger strasse 69 4040 Linz Austria See on map Region Westösterreich Oberösterreich Linz-Wels Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 606 562,50 Participants (5) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all RHEINISCH-WESTFAELISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE AACHEN Germany Net EU contribution € 706 962,50 Address Templergraben 55 52062 Aachen See on map Region Nordrhein-Westfalen Köln Städteregion Aachen Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 706 962,50 IDRYMA TECHNOLOGIAS KAI EREVNAS Greece Net EU contribution € 516 250,00 Address N plastira str 100 70013 Irakleio See on map Region Νησιά Αιγαίου Κρήτη Ηράκλειο Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 516 250,00 BUNDESANSTALT FUER MATERIALFORSCHUNG UND -PRUEFUNG Germany Net EU contribution € 488 775,00 Address Unter den eichen 87 12205 Berlin See on map Region Berlin Berlin Berlin Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 488 775,00 INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE DEZVOLTARE PENTRU FIZICA LASERILOR PLASMEI SI RADIATIEI Romania Net EU contribution € 420 000,00 Address Atomistilor 409 077125 Magurele / ilfov See on map Region Macroregiunea Trei Bucureşti-Ilfov Ilfov Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 420 000,00 ELMARCO SRO Czechia Net EU contribution € 310 500,00 Address Svarovska 621, liberec xi-ruzodol i 460 01 Liberec See on map SME The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed. Yes Region Česko Severovýchod Liberecký kraj Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 310 500,00