Understanding What Makes Nacre Strong and Tough --Development of New Bioinspired Nanocomposites

贝壳珍珠层是一种天然复合材料，具有精心设计的微结构，其强度和韧性是其成分的20到30倍。是什么控制了它非凡的力学行为，人们对此知之甚少，也没有设计指南来开发模仿珍珠层的新的合成复合材料。在这个方向上的第一个努力将是全面调查微结构如何在多个尺度上控制珍珠层的变形和破坏机制。在这一阶段采用了最先进的实验技术和密集的建模。在第二个努力中，将开发模仿珍珠层的新型纳米复合材料。它们的设计将基于形态和机械特征，而这些特征被认为是珍珠岩强度和韧性的关键。结合较软的金属相结合的陶瓷片将为航空航天和MEMS/NEMS应用提供一种坚硬和耐损坏的理想材料。

UNDERSTANDING WHAT MAKES NACRE STRONG AND TOUGH -- Design Rules for Manufacturing Synthetic Nanocomposites Mimicking SeashellsAbstractNacre from seashells is a natural composite with such a well-designed microstructure that its strength and toughness are 20 to 30 times those of its constituents. What controls its remarkable mechanical behavior is poorly understood and there is no design guideline to develop new synthetic composites mimicking nacre. A first effort in this direction will be a throughout investigation of how the microstructure controls the deformation and failure mechanisms of nacre at multiple scales. State of the art experimental techniques and intense modeling are employed at this stage. In a second effort, novel nanocomposites mimicking nacre will be developed. Their design will be based on the morphological and mechanical features that where identified to be key to the strength and toughness of nacre. A combination of ceramic platelets bonded with a softer metallic phase would provide a hard and damage tolerant material ideal for aerospace and MEMS/NEMS applications.