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MM: Fachverband Metall- und Materialphysik
MM 64: Topical session: X-ray and neutron scattering in materials science V - X-ray Nanodiffraction Characterization of Inhomogeneous Structural and Mechanical Properties of Thin Films
MM 64.3: Talk
Friday, April 4, 2014, 11:00–11:15, BAR 205
Spider vibration sensor studied by X-ray scattering — •Maxim Erko1, Friedrich G. Barth2, Peter Fratzl1, and Yael Politi1 — 1Max-Planck-Institut für Kolloid- und Grenzflächenforschung, Am Mühlenberg 1, D-14476 Potsdam — 2Universität Wien. Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Wien
Vibration sensors of spiders are known for their remarkable sensitivity and specificity. They allow the detection and recognition of complex environmental signals with relatively little down-stream processing by the central nervous system. As a consequence of the material composition and the structural architecture of these cuticular strain detectors, environmental signals are not merely collected, but are preferentially filtered for those of biological relevance. We studied the relationship between structure and function by applying X-ray microbeam scanning diffraction to non-nervous cuticular structures transforming the mechanical stimulus on its way to the sensory cells which innervate the vibration sensor. Our results include quantitative maps of structural and compositional variations within the spider cuticle obtained from X-ray scattering signals at wide and small angles (WAXS,SAXS), respectively. The structural and compositional details of the organ are then related to the mechanical properties measured by scanning acoustic microscopy (SAM) and nanoindentation. The data allow us to propose new details about the signal filtering mechanism of the spider vibration sensor. Overall, this work unveils the working principle of material-based vibration-filters in nature and can provide valuable input for future applications in bio-inspired sensory technology.