Bioinspired impact-resistant composites via additive manufacturing
Project Description
Biological materials found in nature such as nacre, antler, horns and teeth are among the toughest and most damage-tolerant materials. For example, bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) rams hurl themselves at each other at speeds of ~ 9 m/s (20 mph) to fight for dominance and mating rights; the mantis shrimp can accelerate its club at 10,000g to smash seashells for food. This necessitates that impact resistance is a predominant feature of the biological tissues. This project aims to mimic the hierarchical structures found in natural materials via multi-material 3D printing. Bioinspired impact-resistant materials will be fabricated.
Supervisor
HUANG Wei
Quota
2
Course type
UROP1100
Applicant's Roles
The applicant is expected to: (1) Review literature and understand the hierarchical structural designs in biological materials; (2) Use 3D design software (i.e., Solidworks) to design and mimic structures; (3) Use multi-materials 3D printer fabricate bioinspired structural materials; (4) Perform quasi-static and impact tests to evaluate the bioinspired designs.
Applicant's Learning Objectives
In this project, the applicant will be able to: (1) Learn the fundamental knowledge about materials and structural designs in biological tissues; (2) Get familiar with commercial 3D design software; (3) Learn how to use multi-material 3D printer; (4) Know how to perform general mechanical tests and further evaluation.
Complexity of the project
Moderate