Cloning Nacre's 3D Interlocking Skeleton in Engineering Composites to Achieve Exceptional Mechanical Properties

Hewei Zhao; Yonghai Yue; Lin Guo; Juntao Wu; Youwei Zhang; Xiaodong Li; Shengcheng Mao; Xiaodong Han

doi:10.1002/adma.201600839

Cloning Nacre's 3D Interlocking Skeleton in Engineering Composites to Achieve Exceptional Mechanical Properties

Adv Mater. 2016 Jul;28(25):5099-105. doi: 10.1002/adma.201600839. Epub 2016 May 2.

Authors

Hewei Zhao¹, Yonghai Yue¹, Lin Guo¹, Juntao Wu¹, Youwei Zhang¹, Xiaodong Li², Shengcheng Mao³, Xiaodong Han³

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Bio-inspired Smart Interfacial Science and Technology of Ministry of Education School of Chemistry and Environment, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, P. R. China.
² Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22904, USA.
³ Institute of Microstructure and Properties of Advanced Materials, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, P. R. China.

PMID: 27135462
DOI: 10.1002/adma.201600839

Abstract

Ceramic/polymer composite equipped with 3D interlocking skeleton (3D IL) is developed through a simple freeze-casting method, exhibiting exceptionally light weight, high strength, toughness, and shock resistance. Long-range crack energy dissipation enabled by 3D interlocking structure is considered as the primary reinforcing mechanism for such superior properties. The smart composite design strategy should hold a place in developing future structural engineering materials.

Keywords: 3D interlocking skeletons; freeze-casting; mechanical properties; nacre-mimetics; structure-property relationships.