Precise Electrosurgical Blade Inspired by Pangolin Scales

Innovation: Academia

Shaanxi University of Science and Technology

2019

Image: G. MacFadyen / Flickr / CC BY NC ND - Creative Commons Attribution + Noncommercial + NoDerivatives

Prevent Deformation

When a living system undergoes compression, tension, shear, bending, or twisting, its internal inter-molecular forces can often resist these forces and even change shape temporarily, returning to the original shape when the forces stop. However, if the force is too strong or lasts too long, permanent deformation or structural failure can occur, resulting in death. Therefore, living systems have strategies to resist deformation or help ensure limited deformation. For example, bones have thin crystals and proteinaceous fibers that provide strength and flexibility, protecting them from forces that would otherwise cause deformation on a daily basis.

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Protect From Microbes

In living systems, microbes play important roles, such as breaking down organic matter and maintaining personal and system health. But they also pose threats. Bacteria can be pathogens that cause diseases. Some bacteria create colonies called biofilms that can coat surfaces, reducing their effectiveness–for example, inhibiting a leaf’s ability to photosynthesize. Living systems must have strategies for protecting from microbes that cause disease or become so numerous that they create an imbalance in the system. At the same time, living systems must continue living in harmony with other microbes. Some living systems kill microbes. Others repel without killing to reduce the chances that microbes will adapt to the lethal strategy and become resistant to it. For example, some pea seedlings exude a chemical that inhibits biofilm buildup.

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Attach Temporarily

Living systems must sometimes, temporarily, stay in one place, climb or otherwise move around, or hold things together. This entails attaching temporarily with the ability to release, which minimizes energy and material use. Some living systems repeatedly attach, detach, and reattach for an extended time, such as over their lifetimes. Despite being temporary, these attachments must withstand physical and other forces until they have achieved their purpose. Therefore, living systems have adapted attachment mechanisms optimized for the amount of time or number of times they must be used. An example is the gecko, which climbs walls by attaching its toes for less than a second. Other examples include insects that attach their eggs to a leaf until they hatch, and insects whose wings temporarily attach during flight but separate after landing.

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Move in/on Solids

To obtain needed resources or escape predators, some living systems must move on solid substances, some must move within them, and others must do both. Solids vary in their form; they can be soft or porous like leaves, sand, skin, and snow, or hard like rock, ice, or tree bark. Movement can involve a whole living system, such as an ostrich running across the ground or an earthworm burrowing through the soil. It can also involve just part of a living system, such as a mosquito poking its mouthparts into skin. Solids vary in smoothness, stickiness, moisture content, density, etc, each of which presents different challenges. As a result, living systems have adaptations to meet one, and sometimes multiple, challenges. For example, some insects must be able to hold onto both rough and slippery leaf surfaces due to the diversity in their environment.

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Electrosurgical blade from Shaanxi University of Science and Technology has anti-adhesive surface microstructures that reduce drag during an incision.

Benefits

Safer
Accurate

Applications

Medical treatment

UN Sustainable Development Goals Addressed

Goal 3: Good Health & Wellbeing

The Challenge

During surgeries and other medical procedures, the skin is cut and then patched back together to assist in healing. In sensitive areas like the eyes, an electrosurgical blade is used to better control the intricacies of the incision. The electrosurgical blade uses an electric current to generate heat to cut through the skin. Unfortunately, the heat can cause skin to adhere to the blade, resulting in unnecessary damage to the skin around the incision, increasing the chance of scarring and infection.

Innovation Details

The anti-adhesive electrosurgical blade is made of 316L stainless steel. The surface of the blade is covered with a series of self-organized microstructures created using a long pulse fiber laser. These microstructures induce an anti-friction and anti-adhesive effect, reducing the amount of damage inflicted during an incision.

Biomimicry Story

Pangolins are mammals, occasionally called scaly anteaters, that spend much of their time digging caves in the earth to feed off small insects. To protect itself from predators, the pangolin has an armor of horny scales that overlap like shingles on a roof. When in danger, the animal tucks its head into its stomach, and the scales overlap, allowing the pangolin to wrap itself into a ball. Pangolin scales are also incredibly durable due to their anti-adhesive and anti-friction qualities. The unique qualities of pangolin scales can be attributed to the longitudinal riblet microstructures on the scales, which allow the pangolin to travel through rock and dirt smoothly.

See Related Strategy

Biological Strategy

Scales Provide Flexible, Strong Protection

Ground pangolin

Individual scales of pangolins with complex layering overlap to create a flexible shield.

References

Journal article

Biomimetic Anti-Adhesive Surface Microstructures on Electrosurgical Blade Fabricated by Long-Pulse Laser Inspired by Pangolin Scales

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