Shark skin is as rough as large-grain sandpaper, and this is due to countless tiny, tooth-like scales called denticles. Grooves along these tiny teeth allow water to flow smoothly through them, giving the swimming shark push and inspiring a research team to create a material inspired by shark skin.
The research team used skin scans of the sharpnose mako shark (Mako mako) to create a detailed computer model of the small teeth for the first time.
The researchers purchased the fish from a local seafood market. Using a 3D printer, the researchers inlaid countless small teeth of the same size of 2 mm on both sides of a flexible metal sheet (as shown in the picture). The researchers then attached the newly fabricated artificial shark skin to a robotic arm and allowed the materials to remain stationary in moving water or flap through still water.
Researchers reported in a recent study published in the Journal of Experimental Biology that in slower-moving water, these small teeth will reduce the resistance of the metal sheet by about 8.7%.
The researchers said that when the robotic arm imitated swimming movements, the related benefits were even more obvious, with swimming speed increased by 6.6% and energy consumption reduced by 5.9%.
The researchers believe the materials could one day be used to create swimsuits capable of increasing speed, although they know there will be production challenges.
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