Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Coupling Effect of Morphology and Mechanical Properties Contributes to the Tribological Behaviors of Snake Scales

  • Published:
Journal of Bionic Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

It is known that the tribological behaviors of snake skins are contributed by the synergistic action of multiple factors, such as surface morphology and mechanical properties, which has inspired fabrication of scale-like surface textures in recent years. However, the coupling effect and mechanism remain to be elucidated. In this work, the morphology and mechanical properties of the scales from different body sections (leading body half, middle trunk and tailing body half) and positions (dorsal, lateral and ventral) of Boa constrictor and Eryx tataricus were characterized and compared to investigate the corresponding effects on the tribological behaviors and to probe the possible coupling mechanism. The morphological characterizations of scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy revealed significant differences between the two species that the scales from Boa constrictor are rougher in general. The mechanical properties measured by nanoindentation corroboratively demonstrated substantial differences in elastic modulus and hardness. Interestingly, the ventral scales with lower surface roughness, together with relatively larger elastic modulus and hardness, manifest higher friction coefficients. A “double-crossed” hypothesis was proposed to explain the observed coupling effect of morphology and mechanical properties on friction, which may afford valuable insights for the design of bionic surface with desirable tribological performance.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Ball P. Engineering shark skin and other solutions. Nature, 1999, 400, 507–509.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Meyers M A, Chen P-Y, Lin A Y-M, Seki Y. Biological materials: Structure and mechanical properties. Progress in Materials Science, 2008, 53, 1–206.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Wong T-S, Kang S H, Tang S K Y, Smythe E J, Hatton B D, Grinthal A, Aizenberg J. Bioinspired self-repairing slippery surfaces with pressure-stable omniphobicity. Nature, 2011, 477, 443–447.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Huang H, Zhang Y, Ren L Q. Particle Erosion resistance of bionic samples inspired from skin structure of desert lizard, Laudakin stoliczkana. Journal of Bionic Engineering, 2012, 9, 465–469.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Comanns P, Winands K, Pothen M, Bott R A, Wagner H, Baumgartner W. The Texas horned lizard as model for robust capillary structures for passive directional transport of cooling lubricants. SPIE Smart Structures and Materials+ Nondestructive Evaluation and Health Monitoring, 2016, 979711, https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2218873.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Evans S E. At the feet of the dinosaurs: The early history and radiation of lizards. Biological Reviews, 2003, 78, 513–551.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Klein M-C G, Gorb S N. Ultrastructure and wear patterns of the ventral epidermis of four snake species (Squamata, Serpentes). Zoology, 2014, 117, 295–314.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Abdel-Aal H A, Vargiolu R, Zahouani H, El Mansori M. Preliminary investigation of the frictional response of reptilian shed skin. Wear, 2012, 290-291, 51–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Hazel J, Stone M, Grace M S, Tsukruk V V. Nanoscale design of snake skin for reptation locomotions via friction anisotropy. Journal of Biomechanics, 1999, 32, 477–484.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Arzt E, Gorb S, Spolenak R. From micro to nano contacts in biological attachment devices. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2003, 100, 10603–10606.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Rechenberg I. Tribological characteristics of sandfish. Nature as Engineer and Teacher: Learning for Technology from Biological Systems, 2003, 8–11.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Rocha-Barbosa O, Moraes e Silva R. Analysis of the microstructure of Xenodontinae snake scales associated with different habitat occupation strategies. Brazilian Journal of Biology, 2009, 69, 919–923.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Berthé R, Westhoff G, Bleckmann H, Gorb S. Surface structure and frictional properties of the skin of the Amazon tree boa Corallus hortulanus (Squamata, Boidae). Journal of Comparative Physiology A, 2009, 195, 311–318.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Klein M-C G, Deuschle J K, Gorb S N. Material properties of the skin of the Kenyan sand boa Gongylophis colubrinus (Squamata, Boidae). Journal of Comparative Physiology A, 2010, 196, 659–668.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Benz M J, Kovalev A E, Gorb S N. Anisotropic frictional properties in snakes. SPIE Smart Structures and Materials+ Nondestructive Evaluation and Health Monitoring, 2012, 83390X, https://doi.org/10.1117/12.916972.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Klein M-C G, Gorb S N. Epidermis architecture and material properties of the skin of four snake species. Journal of the Royal Society Interface, 2012, 9, 3140–3155.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Marvi H, Hu D L. Friction enhancement in concertina locomotion of snakes. Journal of the Royal Society Interface, 2012, 9, 3067.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Abdel-Aal H, El Mansori M. Reptilian Skin as a Biomimetic Analogue for the Design of Deterministic Tribosurfaces, Springer, 2011. (in Germany)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  19. Abdel-Aal H A, El Mansori M. Tribological analysis of the ventral scale structure in a Python regius in relation to laser textured surfaces. Surface Topography: Metrology and Properties, 2013, 1, 015001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Baum M J, Heepe L, Fadeeva E, Gorb S N. Dry friction of microstructured polymer surfaces inspired by snake skin. Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology, 2014, 5, 1091–1103.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Baum M J, Heepe L, Gorb S N. Friction behavior of a microstructured polymer surface inspired by snake skin. Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology, 2014, 5, 83–97.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Greiner C, Schäfer M. Bio-inspired scale-like surface textures and their tribological properties. Bioinspiration & Biomimetics, 2015, 10, 044001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Mühlberger M, Rohn M, Danzberger J, Sonntag E, Rank A, Schumm L, Kirchner R, Forsich C, Gorb S, Einwögerer B. UV-NIL fabricated bio-inspired inlays for injection molding to influence the friction behavior of ceramic surfaces. Microelectronic Engineering, 2015, 141, 140–144.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Cuervo P, López D, Cano J, Sánchez J, Rudas S, Estupiñán H, Toro A, Abdel-Aal H. Development of low friction snake-inspired deterministic textured surfaces. Surface Topography: Metrology and Properties, 2016, 4, 024013.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Ren L. Progress in the bionic study on anti-adhesion and resistance reduction of terrain machines. Science in China Series E: Technological Sciences, 2009, 52, 273–284.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Zheng L, Wu J, Zhang S, Sun S, Zhang Z, Liang S, Liu Z, Ren L. Bionic coupling of hardness gradient to surface texture for improved anti-wear properties. Journal of Bionic Engineering, 2016, 13, 406–415.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Stidworthy J. Snakes of the World, Grosset & Dunlap Inc., USA, 1974.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Mehrtens J M. Living Snakes of the World in Color, Sterling Pub Co Inc, USA, 1987.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Wallach V, Williams K L, Boundy J. Snakes of the world: A catalogue of living and extinct species, CRC Press, USA, 2014.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  30. Hisham A. On surface structure and friction regulation in reptilian limbless locomotion. Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials, 2013, 22, 115–135.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Abdel-Aal H, El Mansori M, Mezghani S. Multi-scale investigation of surface topography of ball python (Python regius) shed skin in comparison to human skin. Tribology Letters, 2010, 37, 517–527.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Abdel-Aal H A. Functional surfaces for tribological applications: inspiration and design. Surface Topography: Metrology and Properties, 2016, 4, 043001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Klein M-C G, Gorb S N. Scratch resistance of the ventral skin surface in four snake species (Squamata, Serpentes). Zoology, 2016, 119, 81–96.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Voigt D, Schweikart A, Fery A, Gorb S. Leaf beetle attachment on wrinkles: Isotropic friction on anisotropic surfaces. The Journal of Experimental Biology, 2012, 215, 1975.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Baum M J, Kovalev A E, Michels J, Gorb S N. Anisotropic friction of the ventral scales in the snake Lampropeltis getula californiae. Tribology Letters, 2014, 54, 139–150.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Hutchings I M. Strain rate effects in microparticle impact. Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, 1977, 10, L179.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Carter G, Nobes M J, Arshak K I. The mechanism of ripple generation on sandblasted ductile solids. Wear, 1980, 65, 151–174.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Ren L Q, Li J Q, Tong J, Chen B C. Bionic nonsmoothness and its applications. Proceedings of the 6th Asia-Pacific Conference of ISTVS, Shanghai, China, 2000, 351–358.

    Google Scholar 

  39. Tong J, Ma Y H, Ren L Q, Li J Q. Tribological characteristics of pangolin scales in dry sliding. Journal of Materials Science Letters, 2000, 19, 569–572.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Sun J-R, Hong C, Qian C, Li J-Q, Chen B C, Ren L Q. Bionic study on the dung beetle Copris ochus Motschulsky for reduction of soil adhesion. Acta Biophysica Sinica, 2001, 17, 785–793.

    Google Scholar 

  41. Ren L Q, Liang Y H. Generation mechanism of biological coupling. Journal of Jilin University (Engineering and Technology Edition), 2011, 41, 1348–1357. (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  42. Ronen A, Etsion I, Kligerman Y. Friction-reducing surface- texturing in reciprocating automotive components. Tribology Transactions, 2001, 44, 359–366.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Scaraggi M, Mezzapesa F P, Carbone G, Ancona A, Sorgente D, Lugarà P M. Minimize friction of lubricated lasermicrotextured- surfaces by tuning microholes depth. Tribology International, 2014, 75, 123–127.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  44. Hu D L, Nirody J, Scott T, Shelley M J. The mechanics of slithering locomotion. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2009, 106, 10081–10085.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  45. Alexander R M. Principles of Animal Locomotion, Princeton University Press, USA, 2003.

    Book  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (51375204 and U1601203), Jilin Provincial Science & Technology Department (20140101056JC), and Province Joint Fund (SXGJSF2017-2-4 and SXGJQY2017-1) and JLUSTIRT Program of Jilin University.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering (Ministry of Education), College of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun, 130022, China

    Long Zheng, Yinghui Zhong, Yihang Gao, Jiayi Li, Zhihui Zhang, Zhenning Liu & Luquan Ren

Authors
  1. Long Zheng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yinghui Zhong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yihang Gao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Jiayi Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Zhihui Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Zhenning Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Luquan Ren
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zhenning Liu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zheng, L., Zhong, Y., Gao, Y. et al. Coupling Effect of Morphology and Mechanical Properties Contributes to the Tribological Behaviors of Snake Scales. J Bionic Eng 15, 481–493 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42235-018-0039-3

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42235-018-0039-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation