| About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2025 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Biological Materials Science
|
| Presentation Title |
A-12: Survive the Cold: On the Thermal Protective Roles of the Hairy Trichomes From the Common Mullein Leafs |
| Author(s) |
Yang Geng, Asma Meem, Christian Machado, Ruduan Yuan, James C. Weaver, Meng Li, Kyoo-Chul Park, Ling Li |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Yang Geng |
| Abstract Scope |
Understanding the mechanisms behind naturally evolved materials and structures under cold stress may provide valuable insights for developing material solutions to winter challenges such as thermal insulation, frosting, and ice accretion. In contrast to the “biological thermal materials” in animals (e.g., polar bear hairs and penguin feathers), the physical mechanisms in cold-surviving plants receive relatively less attention. In this study, we unravel the thermal protection strategies of common mullein (Verbascum thapsus), which utilizes hair-based trichomes on its leaf surface to survive through different cold scenarios in winter. The stellate trichomes form a multilayered network with dense inner and sparser outer regions. Through experiments, theoretical analysis, and computational modeling, we demonstrated that the trichome structure plays vital roles in reducing heat conduction, retarding frost formation, and protecting leaf mesophyll. These mechanisms involve the trichomes acting as thermal insulators, physical barriers to frost nucleation, and mechanical supports to prevent direct ice contact. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |