A few days ago, researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory jointly printed a feathery tentacles of a North American polyphonic moth. Successfully replicating this arrow-like structure means that researchers can now study the characteristics of the moth's tentacles without having to pick the tentacles from the moth. This research has the potential to generate sensors that passively "smell" the presence of dangerous substances.
In a hazardous environment, it can take several minutes for an artificial sensor to detect toxic gases or explosives in the air. However, moths can detect explosive pheromones in a matter of seconds.
To replicate this instinct, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory combined 3D to print a feathery tentacles of a North American polysperm. The study has the potential to generate sensors that passively "smell" the presence of dangerous substances, published online, entitled "Artificial Moth Tentacles as Preconcentrators for Collecting Odors."
In nature, moths and other insects use a keen sense of smell to find food and companions. According to a recent study, the use of chemical pheromones is very common in the animal kingdom, and moths are masters of this. It has been observed that some moths can track pheromones in concentrations of only a few parts per billion, positioning females between distances of 500 to 4 kilometers.
Their tentacles are usually no more than a few centimeters in length, which distinguishes them from current artificial sensors. Preconcentrators designed for this purpose have difficulty collecting enough odors for accurate reading of information. With 3D printed copy tentacles, researchers can greatly reduce the time it takes to collect scent samples.
The researchers used a Nanoscribe 3D lithography system to replicate the tentacles of a polysylvanus moth 1:1. The Nanoscribe 3D printer uses a photoreactive resin that prints objects of the same width as two or three people's hair, which is one or two hundred microns. Previously, this machine was used to make miniature swimmers and equipment to help treat cancer directly in the body.
The researchers individually designed each part of the moth's tentacles (stem, whiskers, and sensor bars) to obtain the perfect shape for collecting analytes from the air.
Successfully replicating this arrow-like structure means that researchers can now study the characteristics of the moth's tentacles without having to pick the tentacles from the moth. This 3D printed tentacles is also a proof of concept for future devices used to detect gas leaks or illegal, hazardous materials.
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