Extraordinary mechanical properties of biological materials are often not so much due to their chemical composition, but instead to the formation of hierarchical structures. This is illustrated with three examples – nacre, spider silk und holdfast structures of mussels. Selected approaches of taking inspiration from the construction principles of these natural materials for the development of new materials are presented. Although the high degree of integrating many hierarchical levels, as well as adaptability and multifuncionality of the materials, as achieved by evolutionary processes, has not (yet) been reached, bio-inspired concepts allow developing materials with interesting specific properties.
