By employing a combination of approaches from several disciplines the authors elucidate the principles of a variety of biomechanical systems that rely on frictional surfaces or adhesive secretions to attach parts of the body to one another or to attach organisms to a substrate. This account provides an excellent starting point for engineers and physicists working with biological systems and for biologists studying friction and adhesion. It will also serve as a valuable introduction for graduate students entering this interdisciplinary field of research.

This book opens the gate between the fields of nanoscience and biology. It will appeal to researchers, engineers and advanced students.

This is the first book in the interdisciplinary field of nanotribology and biology It will be particularly valuable to graduate students intending to enter this or a related interdisciplinary field Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Klappentext
Many of the major challenges facing today's engineering science are related to miniaturization. In this field, vital progress can be made by studying Nature's solutions: Insects and other living creatures have solved many of the same problems during their evolution. Biological micro- and nanotribology aims to gather information about friction, adhesion and wear in such biological systems and to exploit this new knowledge, e.g. in the design of micro-electro- mechanical systems, the development of novel types of monolayer lubrication, the invention of new adhesives, and the construction of artificial joints. By employing a combination of approaches from several disciplines -- physics, engineering, tribology, biology, and materials science -- the authors elucidate the principles of a variety of biomechanical systems that rely on frictional surfaces or adhesive secretions to attach parts of the body to one another or to attach organisms to a substrate. This account provides an excellent starting point for engineers and physicists working with biological systems and for biologists studying friction and adhesion. It will also serve as a valuable introduction for graduate students entering this interdisciplinary field of research.

Inhalt
Introduction.- Physical Principles of Micro- and Nanotribology.- Biological Frictional and Adhesive Systems.- Frictional Devices of Insects.- Microscale Test Equipment.- Nanoscale Probe Techniques.- Microscopy Techniques.- Samples, Sample Preparation and Tester Setup.- Case Study I: Indentation and Adhesion.- Case Study II: Friction.- Case Study III: Material Properties.- Outlook.- Appendix