CDS&E: From Weakness to Strength in Bio-Composite Materials by Multiscale Modeling

该奖项的研究目标是通过悖论分层设计具有出色力学性能的生物复合材料？力量？从哪里来的？弱点？灵感来自于天然骨骼的构造因此，研究人员将寻求对这些天然材料的更基本的理解。复杂的层次结构，规模桥接机制，并通过这个奖项的材料组成部分。这将通过以下研究活动来实现：（i）开发基于原子的连续建模工具，该工具能够对从原子构件到宏观系统的材料进行并行多尺度建模和模拟;（ii）确定对胶原纤维中蛋白质和矿物质之间界面处的力学行为的系统理解;（iii）通过对原纤维阵列和骨单位结构的同时原子/连续研究，建立骨材料的多尺度结构-性能关系。 通过建立结构层次与力学性能之间的精确关系，并基于从骨材料中提取的设计策略，本研究将建立自下而上的生物工程复合材料的层次设计准则，以具有高强度、高刚度和高韧性。这项研究的结果将促进对仿生复合材料的理解，并提供变革性的想法，以实现通过设计合成仿生材料的目标，从而解决了合成复合材料的电流限制。它还将为材料科学，机械工程和各种长度尺度的材料力学领域带来新的概念。结果将提供一个独特的机会，建立一个多学科的学习和培训计划，超越学科之间的传统界限，并提供本科生和研究生，特别是那些来自代表性不足的群体，团队研究和职业发展的综合方法。此外，结果将被整合，以改善和丰富现有的工程课程在格鲁吉亚大学。

The research objective of this award is to hierarchically design bio-composite materials that have outstanding mechanical properties through the paradox of ?strength? from ?weakness? inspired by how natural bone is made. The researchers will therefore seek a more fundamental understanding of these natural materials? intricate hierarchical structures, scale-bridging mechanics, and material components through this award. This will be accomplished through the following research activities: (i) developing an atom-based continuum modeling tool that enables concurrent multiscale modeling and simulation of materials from atomic building blocks to macroscopic systems; (ii) determining a systematic understanding of mechanical behaviors at the interface between proteins and minerals in the collagen fibrils; (iii) establishing the multiscale structure-property relations in bone materials through the concurrent atomistic/continuum investigation of fibril arrays and the osteons structures. By establishing the precise relation between the structural hierarchy and the mechanical properties, and based on the design strategies extracted from bone materials, this research will establish guidelines for bottom-up hierarchal design of engineered bio-composite materials to have high strength, high stiffness and high toughness.If successful, the results of this research will advance the understanding of bio-inspired composites and provide transformative ideas to achieve the goal of synthesizing bio-inspired materials by design, thereby addressing current limitation of synthetic composites. It will also bring new concepts to the fields of materials science, mechanical engineering, and mechanics of materials at various length scales. The results will provide a unique opportunity to establish a multidisciplinary learning and training program that transcends the traditional boundaries between academic disciplines and offers undergraduate and graduate students, especially those from underrepresented groups, an integrated approach of team research and career development. Moreover, the results will be integrated to improve and enrich existing engineering courses at University of Georgia.