AFM Investigation of Biological Nanostructures

• Authors: J. Strzelecki , M. Dąbrowski , J. Strzelecka , M. Tszydel , K. Mikulska , W. Nowak , A. Balter
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

Nanostructures created by living organisms, optimized through millions of years of evolution, can be a valuable inspiration for nanotechnology. We employ atomic force microscopy to examine such structures in materials created by common organisms - caddisfly and diatoms. Caddisfly larvae are well known for their ability to spin silk, which serves as an "adhesive tape" to glue various materials and collect food in aqueous environment. Atomic force microscopy imaging of caddisfly silk, performed for the first time by our team, has shown that its surface is patterned with 150 nm extensions - a feature related to its exceptional underwater sticking abilities. Results of force spectroscopy of protein structures found on the surface are also shown. A characteristic feature of diatoms is that they are encased within a unique silica cell wall called frustules, patterned with 200 nm pores, which allow cellular interaction with the environment. We perform atomic force microscopy imaging of frustules in living diatoms as well as adhesion measurements inside pores.

Keywords

EN

87.64.Dz; 81.07.-b

Discipline

• 81.07.-b: Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization(for structure of nanoscale materials, see 61.46.-w; for nanostructured materials in electrochemistry, see 82.45.Yz; see also 62.23.-c Structural classes of nanoscale systems in mechanical properties of condensed matter)
• 87.64.Dz: Scanning tunneling and atomic force microscopy

• Publisher: Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences
• Journal: Acta Physica Polonica A
• Year: 2012
• Volume: 122
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 329-332

Dates

published

2012-08

Contributors

author

J. Strzelecki

• Institute of Physics, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Grudziądzka 5, 87-100 Toruń, Poland

author

M. Dąbrowski

• Institute of Physics, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Grudziądzka 5, 87-100 Toruń, Poland

author

J. Strzelecka

• Medical Physics Department, Oncology Center, I. Romanowskiej 2, 85-796 Bydgoszcz, Poland

author

M. Tszydel

• Department of Ecology and Vertebrate Zoology, University of Lódź, S. Banacha 12/16, 90-237 Lódź, Poland

author

K. Mikulska

• Institute of Physics, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Grudziądzka 5, 87-100 Toruń, Poland

author

W. Nowak

• Institute of Physics, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Grudziądzka 5, 87-100 Toruń, Poland

author

A. Balter

• Institute of Physics, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Grudziądzka 5, 87-100 Toruń, Poland

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Identifiers

DOI

10.12693/APhysPolA.122.329