Nanoindentation mechanical properties and structural biomimetic models of three species of insects wings

Abstract

Mimicking insect flights were used to design and develop new engineering materials. Although extensive research was done to study various aspects of flying insects. Because the detailed mechanics and underlying principles involved in insect flights remain largely unknown. A systematic study was carried on insect flights by using a combination of several advanced techniques to develop new models for the simulation and analysis of the wing membrane and veins of three types of insect wings, namely dragonfly (Pantala flavescens Fabricius), honeybee (Apis cerana cerana Fabricius) and fly (Sarcophaga carnaria Linnaeus). In order to gain insights into the flight mechanics of insects, reverse engineering methods were used to establish three-dimensional geometrical models of the membranous wings, so we can make a comparative analysis. Then nano-mechanical test of the three insect wing membranes was performed to provide experimental parameter values for mechanical models in terms of nano-hardness and elastic modulus. Finally, a computational model was established by using the finite element analysis (ANSYS) to analyze and compare the wings under a variety of simplified load regimes that are concentrated force, uniform line-load and a torque. This work opened up the possibility towards developing an engineering basis for the biomimetic design of thin solid films and 2D advanced engineering composite materials.

Keywords

biomimetics / membranous wing / insect wing models / finite element method

References

[1] Kesel AB, Philippi U, Nachtigall W. Biomechanical Aspects of the Insect Wing: An Analysis Using the Finite Element Method[J].. Comput. Biol. Med., 1998, 28: 423-437.

[2] Combes SA, Daniel TL. Flexural Stiffness in Insect Wings I. Scaling and the Influence of Wing Venation[J].. J. Exp. Biol., 2003, 206: 2979-2987.

[3] Ganguli R, Gorb S, Lehmann FO, et al. An Experimental and Numerical Study of calliphora Wing Structure[J].. Exp. Mech., 2010, 50: 1183-1197.

[4] Sunada S, Zeng LJ, Kawachi K. The Relationship between Dragonfly Wing Structure and Torsional Deformation[J].. J. Theor. Biol., 1998, 193: 39-45.

[5] Kesel AB. Aerodynamic Characteristics of Dragonfly Wing Sections Compared with Technical Aerofoils[J].. J. Exp. Biol., 2000, 203: 3125-3135.

[6] Zhou SZ, Wang R. The Development of Functional Materials[J].. J. Funct. Mater., 1990, 21(198-200): 206

[7] Bao XQ, Bontemps A, Grondel S, et al. Design and Fabrication of Insect-inspired Composite Wings for MAV Application Using MEMS Technology[J].. J. Micromech. Microeng., 2011, 21: 125.

[8] Li ZX, Shen W, Tong GS, et al. On the Vein-stiffening Membrane Structure of a Dragonfly Hind Wing[J].. J. Zhejiang Univ. Sci. A, 2009, 10: 72-81.

[9] Yadav M. Biology of Insects, 2003 Beijing: Discovery Publishing House Press.

[10] Machida K, Shimanuki J. Structure Analysis of the Wing of a Dragonfly. Microtechnologies for the New Millennium 2005, Bellingham, 2005 671-676.

[11] Machida K, Oikawa T. Structure Analyses of the Wings of anotogaster sieboldii and hybris subjacens[J].. Key Eng. Mater., 2007, 345-346: 1237-1240.

[12] Wang XS, Li Y, Shi YF. Effects of Sandwich Microstructures on Mechanical Behaviors of Dragonfly Wing Vein[J].. Compos. Sci. Technol., 2008, 68: 186-192.

[13] Jongerius SR, Lentink D. Structural Analysis of a Dragonfly Wing[J].. Exp. Mech., 2010, 50: 1323-1334.

[14] Ahearne M, Yang Y, Then K, et al. An Indentation Technique to Characterize the Mechanical and Viscoelastic Properties of Human and Porcine Corneas[J].. Ann. Biomed. Eng., 2007, 35: 1608-1626.

[15] Sun JY, Bhushan B. The Structure and Mechanical Properties of Dragonfly Wings and Their Role on Flyability[J].. CR. Mecanique, 2012, 340: 3-17.

[16] Tong J, Zhao YR, Sun JY, et al. Nanomechanical Properties of the Stigma of Dragonfly Anax Parthenope Julius Brauer[J].. J. Mater. Sci., 2007, 42: 2894-2898.

[17] Vincent JFV, Wegst UGK. Design and Mechanical Properties of Insect Cuticle[J].. Arthropod. Struct. Dev., 2004, 33: 187-199.

[18] Song F, Xiao KW, Bai K, et al. Microstructure and Nanomechanical Properties of the Wing Membrane of Dragonfly[J].. Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2007, 45: 254-260.