Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Tommaso Magrini, Derek Kiebala, Dominique Grimm, Anna Nelson, Stephen Schrettl, Florian Bouville, Christoph Weder, Andre R. Studart
Summary: This research has developed a novel composite material combining optical transparency, high fracture toughness, and damage-reporting capabilities through fluorescence color changes to signal damage. The study demonstrates that optical imaging techniques can be used for localized detection of damage in composite materials before fracture occurs.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zhe Qiu, Lizhong Lang, Zhengyang Yu, Jiaying Zhu, Yuhang Ye, Yu Zou, Yanjun Xie, Feng Jiang
Summary: This study proposes a fast and scalable strategy for the production of wood artificial nacre (WAN) by in situ mineralizing in a porous, multi-hierarchical, and laminated wood mineralization skeleton. The resulting WANs possess similar structures to natural nacre, including lamellar structures, organic bridges, and micro-asperities. These structures give the WANs high strength and toughness, as well as low density.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Xinhao Chang, Qiang Xu, Junwei Lv, Lin Xu, Zhendong Zhu, Shi Liu, Xiangyang Liu, Jiaqiang Qin
Summary: The study showed that by controlling parameters of helical fibers, the impact resistance and strength of composites can be increased significantly. Surface modification of spiral fibers can enhance the toughness and strength of the composites by 310%. Introducing a three-dimensional spiral structure into the composite is a unique strategy to overcome the trade-off between toughness and strength of high-performance composite materials.
COMPOSITES PART B-ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Kefeng Gao, Jianjun Guan, Hui Sun, Chengwei Han, Guoqi Tan, Zengqian Liu, Qiang Wang, Zhefeng Zhang
Summary: This study quantitatively investigated the in-vitro friction and wear behavior of bioinspired ceramic-polymer composites against human tooth enamel, revealing different wear mechanisms and extents of wear depending on their specific architectural types and orientations. The brick-and-mortar architecture displayed much less wear than the lamellar one and did not accelerate the wear of enamel, showing promising potential for dental applications.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Anamika Prasad, Vikas Varshney, Dhriti Nepal, Geoffrey J. Frank
Summary: The discoveries of two-dimensional materials have opened up new possibilities for multifunctional materials in various applications. This paper critically reviews the structure-function connections of highly mineralized 2D natural composites and extracts bioinspired design principles for engineered systems. The paper highlights key features of bioinspired design and discusses challenges and potential solutions for processing. Additionally, future perspectives and opportunities, including multiscale modeling and machine learning, are discussed. Overall, this review emphasizes the potential of bioinspired design for engineered 2D composites and provides valuable insights for researchers and engineers in this field.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Yu Bu, Xu Wang, Xiuming Bu, Zhengyi Mao, Zhou Chen, Zebiao Li, Fengqian Hao, Johnny C. Ho, Jian Lu
Summary: Achieving high strength, deformability and toughness in polymers is a challenging task. This study introduces a self-assembling nacre-like polymer composite that exhibits extremely high toughness and increased strength. The composite demonstrates remarkable mechanical properties, surpassing previously reported values for polymer composites.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Wei Li, Jingwen Liu, Benliang Liang, Yingqi Shu, Jianfeng Wang
Summary: Utilizing dynamic small molecular hydrogen bonds, the study successfully enhanced the toughness of montmorillonite-konjac glucomannan-glycerin composite, improving its strength and toughness, which were superior to other MMT/polymer composites.
COMPOSITES PART B-ENGINEERING
(2021)
Editorial Material
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Nicholas A. Kotov
Summary: This article introduces a layer-by-layer assembly technique for the self-assembly of layered nanocomposites. The technique solves the problem of voids introduced by other methods, resulting in nanocomposites with improved performance.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2022)
Article
Biophysics
Huaran Xing, Faming Yang, Shengjun Sun, Panpan Pan, Hongbo Wang, Yuxin Wang, Jingdi Chen
Summary: The water-soluble organic matrix (WSM) derived from abalone nacre was successfully isolated using an ultrasonic-assisted water extraction (UWE) strategy. The WSM was able to induce the growth of enamel-like hydroxyapatite crystals for the remineralization of damaged enamel. The repaired enamel exhibited similar mechanical properties to native enamel.
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES B-BIOINTERFACES
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Wei Huang, Devis Montroni, Taifeng Wang, Satoshi Murata, Atsushi Arakaki, Michiko Nemoto, David Kisailus
Summary: Organisms have evolved tough structures over millions of years to enhance their competitiveness, reproductive ability, and resistance to environmental pressures. These structures display multiscale architectures and superior mechanical properties, and are achieved through organic-inorganic interactions and controlled synthesis. Applying these biological structures in engineering may have significant applications.
ACCOUNTS OF CHEMICAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Anass Harmal, Oussama Khouchani, Tahar El-Korchi, Mingjiang Tao, Harold W. Walker
Summary: A bioinspired brick-and-mortar structure has been explored to overcome the brittleness of geopolymer and enhance its mechanical performance. By using geopolymer as the brick phase and 3D-printed polymers as the mortar phase, strong and tough geopolymer composites with significantly improved toughness and strength were achieved. Various toughening mechanisms, including brick interlocking, crack bridging, and crack deflection, were revealed through experimental techniques.
Review
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Abdallah Ghazlan, Tuan Ngo, Ping Tan, Yi Min Xie, Phuong Tran, Matthew Donough
Summary: The paper systematically reviews the structural-mechanical characteristics of selected biological armour systems, highlighting the potential of natural/biological materials to inspire the design of lightweight, flexible, and tough body armours. Investigation into various biological structures with ballistic protection potential, as well as techniques for analysis and fabrication of bioinspired armour composites, is discussed to inspire the development of more efficient bio-inspired armour systems for dynamic impact resistance.
COMPOSITES PART B-ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Mechanics
Dong Quan, Neal Murphy, Alojz Ivankovi, Guoqun Zhao, Rene Alderliesten
Summary: The study demonstrates that interleaving thermoplastic veils can significantly improve the fatigue life of carbon fiber/epoxy composites, with fatigue resistance energy increasing by 143% and 190% for UD and NCF laminates, respectively. The toughening mechanisms of thermoplastic veils are influenced by various factors in the laminates.
COMPOSITE STRUCTURES
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Fuchao Gao, Qinglei Zeng, Jing Wang, Jingran Ge, Jianbang Shen, Shuo Liu, Jun Liang
Summary: This article proposes composite structures inspired by the suture line in the beak of woodpeckers, and investigates their mechanical properties and failure modes compared to conventional laminated structures. The study shows that the suture structure significantly affects flexural properties and reveals the role of soft layers and shear mechanism in energy dissipation and shock absorption.
MECHANICS OF ADVANCED MATERIALS AND STRUCTURES
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Xun Xiong, Qinglei Zeng, Yonghuan Wang, Ying Li
Summary: In this work, the authors investigate the possibility of enhancing the resistance to crack growth in brittle materials through microstructure design. They establish a computational framework to simulate crack propagation and characterize fracture energy. The effects of different types of voids on toughening mechanisms are explored, and the critical conditions for embrittlement-toughening transition are identified. The study also discusses the difference between void toughening in brittle and ductile materials, and extends the toughening strategy to nacre-like materials.
JOURNAL OF THE MECHANICS AND PHYSICS OF SOLIDS
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Jessica A. Rosewitz, Habibeh Ashouri Choshali, Nima Rahbar
CEMENT & CONCRETE COMPOSITES
(2019)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Sina Askarinejad, Joshua E. Johnson, Nima Rahbar, Karen L. Troy
JOURNAL OF THE MECHANICAL BEHAVIOR OF BIOMEDICAL MATERIALS
(2019)
Article
Biophysics
Zachary E. Goldblatt, Habibeh Ashouri Choshali, Heather A. Cirka, Vivian Liang, Qi Wen, Dannel McCollum, Nima Rahbar, Kristen L. Billiar
BIOPHYSICAL JOURNAL
(2020)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Shuai Wang, Rajib B. Mallick, Nima Rahbar
CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS
(2020)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Emmanuel O. Onche, Salifu T. Azeko, John D. Obayemi, Oluwaseun K. Oyewole, Nneka B. Ekwe, Nima Rahbar, Winston O. Soboyejo
JOURNAL OF THE MECHANICAL BEHAVIOR OF BIOMEDICAL MATERIALS
(2020)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Sina Askarinejad, Faezeh Shalchy, Nima Rahbar
Summary: Nacre's exceptional mechanical properties are attributed to its multilayered structure, nanoscale features, and the role of interfaces. Understanding the interphase properties is crucial for enhancing material toughness.
COMPOSITES PART B-ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
T. Bond, A. Badmos, R. A. Ahmed, J. D. Obayemi, A. Salifu, N. Rahbar, W. O. Soboyejo
Summary: This paper presents a study on the indentation size effects in structural metals/alloys at the micron scale, including 6061 aluminum alloy, titanium, and Ti-6Al-4V. The size dependence of indentation hardness is explained using strain gradient plasticity theories. The study compares the resulting material length scales with microstructures and previously reported values, and discusses the implications of the results for plasticity and hardness modeling at the micron scale.
MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING A-STRUCTURAL MATERIALS PROPERTIES MICROSTRUCTURE AND PROCESSING
(2022)
Article
Biophysics
Habibeh Ashouri Choshali, Kristen L. Billiar, Nima Rahbar
Summary: In this study, the stress fields within cells were investigated using computational and experimental methods, revealing the presence of anisotropy. It was found that substantial stress concentration occurs in the central region, contradicting the assumption of uniform anisotropy. A more realistic non-uniform anisotropy model was introduced based on experimental observations, effectively eliminating stress concentration. The study provides a physics-based mechanism to explain the low alignment of stress fibers in cells and potentially explains certain biological phenomena.
BIOMECHANICS AND MODELING IN MECHANOBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Alycia Abbott, Mattea E. Gravina, Mobin Vandadi, Nima Rahbar, Jeannine M. Coburn
Summary: This study explored the impact of modifying lyophilization primary drying parameters on the properties of protein-based porous scaffolds. It was found that changing the drying duration and temperature can result in scaffolds with tunable properties. Additionally, the use of different concentrations of the protein solution led to different effects on in vitro cell culturing.
JOURNAL OF BIOMEDICAL MATERIALS RESEARCH PART A
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Mobin Vandadi, Kenan P. Fears, Manoj K. Kolel-Veetil, Nima Rahbar
Summary: Biomaterials serve as an important inspiration for the development of strong and tough materials. A novel class of nanomaterials, synthesized through side-chain to-side-chain polymerization of cyclic beta-peptide rings, exhibits outstanding mechanical properties. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal that polymerized peptides can withstand stress and have high strain-to-failure values, compared to brittle behavior of unpolymerized peptides. Additionally, the strength of cyclic peptides is higher in water than in a vacuum.
ACS BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Mobin Vandadi, Kenan P. Fears, Manoj K. Kolel-Veetil, Nima Rahbar
Summary: Biomaterials serve as an important inspiration for the development of strong and tough materials, leading to the recent development of improved synthetic materials. Through the side-chain-to-side-chain polymerization of cyclic beta-peptide rings, a new class of nanomaterials with exceptional mechanical properties has been introduced. Molecular dynamics simulations are used to explore the mechanics of this polymerization process and demonstrate the differences in strength between polymerized and unpolymerized cyclic peptides. The simulations are conducted in both aqueous and vacuum environments to investigate the influence of water on the mechanical properties. The results reveal that unpolymerized peptides behave as brittle materials, while polymerized ones exhibit a significant strain-to-failure after initial failure. Moreover, the strength of cyclic peptides is higher in water compared to a vacuum.
ACS BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Shuai Wang, Suzanne Scarlata, Nima Rahbar
Summary: The article describes a method that allows for the rapid curing of enzymatic construction materials under ambient conditions using low-power lasers and the incorporation of nanoparticles, supporting on-site manufacturing capability for construction materials.
CELL REPORTS PHYSICAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Shuai Wang, Suzanne F. Scarlata, Nima Rahbar
Summary: This paper introduces a novel method to create a negative-emission enzymatic construction material (ECM) with self-healing capabilities, by catalyzing the condensation of CO2 and water to form calcium carbonate crystals. The resulting ECM has high strength and modulus, providing a new direction for developing environmentally friendly and low-cost construction materials.
Editorial Material
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Nima Rahbar
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Daniel R. Williams, Daniel J. Nurco, Nima Rahbar, Kristie J. Koski