More than 130 scientists from universities in Asia, Europe and the USA met with BASF researchers from August 7-9 at the Institut de Science et d'Ingénierie Supramoléculaires (ISIS) in Strasbourg for the scientific symposium ‘Bio-inspired Materials for the Chemical Industry’. Materials that behave like spider silk or mussel adhesive, structures resembling gecko feet and biominerals, and plastics made from renewable raw materials will be presented.

Many natural systems with complex structures exhibit an astonishingly high level of adaptability, resistance and eco-efficiency. Such observations stimulate the creativity of the chemical industry in developing improved or fundamentally new materials. In these endeavours, interdisciplinary synergies arise between synthetic chemistry, material science and biology.

One of example of how the company has learnt from nature is its response to customers’ demands for stain repellent surfaces that reduce cleaning effort and also contribute to protecting the environment. Looking at natural chemicals, for example from the leaf of a lotus plant, the company was able to identify the necessary structural characteristics for the desired effect. The result was MincorTXTT, a textile coating for fabrics used in making tents, awnings and sunshades.