Nature's Engineering Marvels: the Structure and Chemistry of a Butterfly Wing

Much effort is currently being expended in nanotechnology and other fields to build biomimetic, or nature-inspired, materials. The first step in this process is often to develop a more complete understanding of the structure and chemistry of biological systems. In this article, we will compare and c...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Microscopy today 2006-11, Vol.14 (6), p.16-21
Main Authors: Smentkowski, V.S., Ostrowski, S.G., Olson, E.J., Cournoyer, J., Dovidenko, K., Potyrailo, R.A.
Format: Magazinearticle
Language:English
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Summary:Much effort is currently being expended in nanotechnology and other fields to build biomimetic, or nature-inspired, materials. The first step in this process is often to develop a more complete understanding of the structure and chemistry of biological systems. In this article, we will compare and contrast data collected on a common biological sample, a butterfly wing, using a variety of analytical techniques. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) was used in order to perform bright field imaging of the sample cross section; Light Microscopy (LM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) were used to provide structural information of the outer wing surface at various magnifications; Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) was used in order to image the chemical composition of the outer most surface layer; and Focused Ion Beam (FIB) techniques were used to cut (micro machine) features into the wing.
ISSN:1551-9295
2150-3583
DOI:10.1017/S1551929500058831