Bionics in the Plastics Industry

Bionics is the science that transfers natural principles to technical developments. This principle is also widely applied in the plastics and rubber industry. This is because nature offers fascinating role models when it comes to the challenges of sustainability, resource efficiency and material requirements. Innovative plastic solutions inspired by biological systems thus open up new avenues in material development and product design.

Whether dragonfly wings, honeycomb or mussel shells. Many natural shapes and construction methods can be transferred to modern plastics. Mussel shells, for example, impress with their extraordinary combination of hardness and fracture resistance. This is due to their microstructured arrangement. Researchers are applying this principle to plastic composites, which need to be both lightweight and resistant and flexible. A few years ago, the ‘BioStrukt’ project led by the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT in Aachen developed lightweight components made of fibre composites using the bionic approach.

But it's not just stronger, larger components that can be developed with the help of bionics. Together with Lufthansa Technik, BASF has been looking at sharks, or more precisely: their skin! Their skin has a special structure: microscopically small V-shaped scales or ridges, known as dermal denticles. Thanks to these, sharks can glide particularly well through the water without much resistance.

This principle can be transferred to aeroplanes in order to reduce air resistance and thus lower CO2 emissions. The company managed to develop a film based on this model, which was glued to the aircraft. The result was convincing: the technology is now in widespread use.

Spider silk is considered one of the most fascinating natural materials and is something of an evergreen for bionics experts: it is stronger than steel for its size, yet extremely stretchy and almost weightless. Based on this natural model, scientists are researching the development of highly elastic plastics that are used in medical technology or textile technology. However, the artificial production of spider silk on an industrial scale is difficult. There are initial commercial approaches, for example as an additive for wound healing creams or dressings, but also for packaging in the food industry. You can find an in-depth article on the subject of ‘spider silk films’ on the Interpack trade fair website!

The potential for the development of polymer-based artificial muscles is particularly exciting. These can be built into humanoid robots: In industrial applications, they could be used where human-like movements are required - for example in joint assembly in automotive production, where sensitive components need to be moved precisely and powerfully at the same time. Here, artificial muscles could control gripper arms or robotic tools that adapt flexibly to different tasks, similar to a human arm. This would not only make repetitive tasks more efficient but also reduce ergonomically critical work for humans.

But it's not just large industrial robots that benefit from this development. As early as 2022, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh developed a tiny insect-like robot with polymer muscles. It jumps virtually by muscle power and can therefore also move over sand or water surfaces. This means that the little helper can be used in a wide range of applications, for example in environmental samples or inhospitable areas.

The examples impressively show that bionic principles open new avenues for plastics development. Materials and processes not only become more efficient and more powerful but also help to conserve resources and make production processes more sustainable. Companies that rely on bionically inspired materials and processes can ultimately secure competitive advantages.

The future of bionics in the plastics industry therefore remains promising. Approaches such as bio-inspired smart materials, bionic structures in 3D printing and adaptive materials that adjust to environmental conditions will characterise the industry. At the same time, the challenge remains to make such innovations economically scalable and to integrate them sustainably into existing manufacturing processes. One thing is certain: those who take nature seriously as a source of ideas will shape the plastics world of tomorrow.

You can also find further insights in the K-Mag interview on the bionic microplastic filter, inspired by the ray: Filtering microplastics like a giant manta ray: Bionic innovation for clean waters