Although mosses are small plants, they possess a highly enlarged surface area due to their densely packed leaves and further structures such as crinkles, papillae and lamellae. In contrast to flowering plants, mosses do not have roots; water and nutrients are absorbed via their surface. In this project, the relationship of water balance and morphology of mosses will be thoroughly explored. For this purpose, detailed microscopic analyses (light microscopy, SEM) of different moss species will be carried out.

The aim of the project is the development of novel textile structures for moisture transfer, based on the biomimetic analysis of evaporation and condensation in different moss species. This project will be carried out in cooperation with the German Institutes of Textile and Fibre Research Denkendorf (DITF).

The project AiF 19808 N “Textile Moisture Transfer” is funded by the AiF (Arbeitsgemeinschaft industrieller Forschungsvereinigungen) in context with the programme “Collective Industrial Research“ (IGF) of the Germany Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.