Ants & The Diving Bell Spider Inspired A Unsinkable Metal

Imagine unsinkable ships. Or unsinkable sea drones. Or protective metal parts that are unsinkable at the same time. All of this may be possible thanks to a new nanostructure on the surface of metals and even other materials.

Image by cocoparisienne from Pixabay

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Experts from the American University of Rochester in New York found themselves in the Red Imported Fire And (Solenopsis Invicta) and The Diving Bell Spider (Argyroneta Aquatica). These ants are feared aliens and raiders that can build living rafts from their bodies. The Diving Bell Spider decided on a life path of being a diver and it is the only known water spider. It builds underwater diving bells to conquer the underwater world.

Enlightened by the ants and spiders Chunlei Guo and his colleagues they created a metal structure that is repulsive to water so much that it will just not sink. And it doesn't matter if you soak it, damage it, penetrate it or do anything else to it. It just stays unsinkable. Now imagine unsinkable ships, sea drones or even just small unsinkable sensors and research stations. Or protective wearables that will not sink and protect your life.

Guo and his team used a previously developed metal treatment process that uses a femtosecond laser to etch the surface of the metal and create micro and nanostructures. The reason for these tiny structures is to absorb air making the surface of the metal superhydrophobic and thus repulse water. But over time, it showed that such treated metal will lose its properties if it is submerged underwater for a long enough time.

This is where the ants and spiders come to the scene. They both use a very simple trick in their incredible constructions. With their superhydrophobic bodies and nets, they imprison the air underwater permanently. Guo and his team thus created nanostructures on two parallel sheets of aluminum that can absorb and hold enough water to keep the metal floating. Even after being submerged for two months or being full of holes. And while the scientists used aluminum for the research other metals and materials could be used in much the same way.

Sources:

• https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/11/191106162543.htm
• https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsami.9b15540

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