Nature inspires: preventing inflammations with nanostructures

The dragonfly as a source of inspiration

“What makes our technology special is the modification of the metallic surface structure of the implants at the nano level using a special high-pressure oxidation process. This gives the surface a bacteria-repellent effect without the need for any additives. We are thus practically creating a passive effect,” explains Doll. The idea arose during his doctoral thesis at the KIT. “I did my doctorate on the micro- and nanostructuring of dental implants at the KIT from 2015 to 2019. Fighting bacteria with nanotechnology was a real hype at the time. In contrast, the approach of bioinspired antibacterial surfaces was relatively new. And as is usual in many projects, you try out a lot of things and at some point you arrive at the desired solution,” recalls the development engineer. ‘I was inspired by nature, by the wing of a dragonfly,’ continues Doll. The insect wing has an antibacterial effect because of the specially shaped nanostructures found there. ”Bacteria are only a few micrometers in size. The surface of the wings is covered with very small structures, which are about ten times smaller than the bacteria themselves. This means that the bacteria have less of a surface to attack and do not adhere as well. Some of them even die on contact with the wing surface,” explains co-founder Hüschelrath. nanoshape makes use of this effect by adapting the structure of the dragonfly wing. The research-based entrepreneurs use a high-pressure oxidation process to create the special nanostructure on the surface. This process involves using high pressure and high temperatures to cause a surface transformation of the metal components. The result is a jagged structure that is smaller than bacteria and thus produces the same antibacterial effect as in dragonflies.