Computational Engineering of Bio-inspired Hierarchical Surfaces and Multi-functional Materials based on the Plywood Architecture

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Through the course of evolution, Nature  has  optimized the structure and functionalities of bulk materials and surfaces. Functional hierarchical surfaces were developed with optimized wettability (lotus leaf), drag reduction (sharkskin), and structural colors (tulips). Hierarchical structures (bone, insect's exocuticle, tusk) were developed to form light weight structures with outstanding unrivaled mechanical properties. Nature's materials engineering relies on few chemical elements  to produce functional, adaptive, responsive, self-healing and structural materials , formed in water environments, at low temperature and ambient pressure, using processing methods based on self-assembly and self-organization.   To meet the challenges in energy, environment, transportation, and health sectors  through materials innovations, the bio-inspired materials innovation method learns from Nature how to produce materials and surfaces with unrivaled functionalities. A second innovation driver is integrated computational materials engineering, relying on science-based theory, rigorous process modeling,  and high performance computing trough access to Compute Canada resources. This research integrates these two innovation drivers focusing on the ubiquitous plywood fiber architecture found through Nature's unrivaled composites. Using liquid crystal models exhibiting plywood organization we seek to predict and characterize hierarchical surfaces that have structural color and drag reduction functionalities. Processes that lead to cornea-like tissues and helical plywoods found in bone, will be predicted and optimized for mechanical functionalities. The novelty of this proposal  is the formulation, implementation and validation of a materials' design method that remains close to Nature's engineering by using as a starting point similar soft matter precursors and novel self-assembly mechanisms.  The precursors are based on cellulose and proteins and the self-assembly takes into account important processes such as mass transfer, excluded volume, elasticity  and chirality, as found in Nature.  The outcome is an integrated materials fabrication method , systematically linking process-structure-functionalities permitting accelerated optimization of optical,tribological, and mechanical functionalities derived from the  plywood architecture found throughout Nature's fibrous composites. Cutting-edge soft matter materials science applied to real green engineering manufacturing has direct, timely relevance for Canada's vast resources and wide interests in various soft matter material precursors (i.e. cellulosics, chitin), being developed in government/academia/industry research laboratories. The unique synergies of fundamental science, engineering technology, high performance computing ,  interdisciplinary approaches and international collaborations enable students to develop highly-valued skills in the science and technology of advanced structural and multi functional materials and biological materials.