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

通过进化的过程，大自然优化了大块材料和表面的结构和功能。功能型分层表面具有优化的润湿性（荷叶）、减阻性（鲨鱼皮）和结构颜色（郁金香）。分层结构（骨骼，昆虫的外表皮，象牙）形成了重量轻的结构，具有突出的无与伦比的机械性能。自然界的材料工程依靠很少的化学元素，在水环境中，在低温和环境压力下，利用基于自组装和自组织的加工方法，生产出功能性、适应性、反应性、自修复和结构材料。为了通过材料创新来应对能源、环境、交通和卫生领域的挑战，仿生材料创新方法从大自然中学习如何生产具有无与伦比功能的材料和表面。第二个创新驱动力是综合计算材料工程，依靠基于科学的理论，严格的过程建模，以及通过访问加拿大计算资源进行高性能计算。这项研究整合了这两个创新驱动因素，重点关注通过自然界无与伦比的复合材料发现的无处不在的胶合板纤维建筑。使用显示胶合板组织的液晶模型，我们试图预测和表征具有结构颜色和减阻功能的分层表面。在骨骼中发现的导致角膜样组织和螺旋胶合板的过程将被预测和优化机械功能。该提案的新颖之处在于材料设计方法的制定、实施和验证，该方法通过使用类似的软物质前体和新颖的自组装机制作为起点，仍然接近于自然工程。前驱体以纤维素和蛋白质为基础，自组装考虑了重要的过程，如传质、排除体积、弹性和手性，这些都是在《自然》中发现的。结果是一种集成的材料制造方法，系统地连接过程-结构-功能，允许加速优化光学，摩擦学和机械功能，这些功能来自于整个自然纤维复合材料的胶合板结构。前沿软物质材料科学应用于真正的绿色工程制造，与加拿大在各种软物质材料前体（即纤维素，几丁质）方面的巨大资源和广泛兴趣直接、及时相关，这些材料正在政府/学术界/工业研究实验室中开发。基础科学、工程技术、高性能计算、跨学科方法和国际合作的独特协同作用使学生能够在先进结构和多功能材料以及生物材料的科学和技术方面发展出高价值的技能。

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.