Work

Harnessing the bio-adhesive power of natural deep eutectic solvents for trichome-inspired pest control

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: mucilage. We formulate trichome biomimetic adhesives that become sprayable with added water to lower their viscosity, which can then regain the required adhesiveness as water evaporates up to the equilibrium content. Using a custom indentation setup, we measure promising adhesion energies between 9.5-14.5 µJ over one week, along with the formation of elongated fibrils (>2.3 cm) for the best-performing sample. Additionally, the material shows no phytotoxicity for over two weeks and effectively immobilizes western flower thrips through multiple contact points with the material in Petri dish bioassays, highlighting its efficacy and trapping mechanism akin to natural trichomes.

Source: Communications Materials

DOI: 10.1038/s43246-025-00823-1