From Denticles on Shark Skin to Ship Coating

This entry in the 2017 MRS Science in Video Competition, submitted by materials science students from the Republic Polytechnic, reveals how engineering can replicate the best of nature to solve problems. Using micro-CT imaging, a 3D-printed model of shark skin denticles was constructed to demonstrate the functional properties of the arrangement. See how engineers at NASA and 3M used this model to develop a thin film to coat the hull of a famous, award-winning sailboat.