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Biomimetics
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Bio-Inspired Design for Structure Applications
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Bio-Inspired Design for Structure Applications

A special issue of Biomimetics (ISSN 2313-7673). This special issue belongs to the section "Biomimetic Design, Constructions and Devices".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 October 2023) | Viewed by 10833

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Zhong Hu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Mechanical Engineering, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, USA
Interests: multi-scale material modeling and characterization; design of composites and nano-composites; characterization of materials/composites/nanostructured thin films and coatings; mechanical strength evaluation and failure prediction; metal forming processing design/testing/modeling/optimization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Current technologies that rely on traditional design and manufacturing techniques are insufficient to effectively solve the pressing challenges facing future societies. This Special Issue aims to be a leading topic in the field of bio-inspired design—the process of developing concepts, approaches, and technologies that build and control the way nature does—offering potentially transformative solutions to those challenges. Bio-inspired design focuses on the process of promoting technological innovation, rather than a set of traditional fixed procedures. It is inherently a process of convergence and acceleration, drawing on approaches from life sciences, physical sciences, mathematical sciences, engineering, and medical sciences. Bio-inspired design solutions are widely used in different engineering disciplines. However, in structural engineering, these solutions are mainly limited to bio-inspired structures/microstructures, shapes/topologies, and materials, and the applications are mainly in optimizing stiffness, strength, light weight, toughness, etc.

Prof. Dr. Zhong Hu
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biomimetics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • bio-inspired design
  • additive manufacturing
  • structural applications
  • mechanical properties
  • topology optimization
  • computer modelling
  • microstructure
  • biomaterial
  • representative volume element (RVE)
  • lattice structure
  • porous structure

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 5524 KiB  
Article
Bio-Inspired Sutures: Simulating the Role of Suture Placement in the Mechanical Response of Interlocking Structures
by Melissa M. Gibbons and Diana A. Chen
Biomimetics 2023, 8(7), 515; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics8070515 - 31 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1535
Abstract
The hardest anatomical components of many animals are connected at thin seams known as sutures, which allow for growth and compliance required for respiration and movement and serve as a defense mechanism by absorbing energy during impacts. We take a bio-inspired approach and [...] Read more.
The hardest anatomical components of many animals are connected at thin seams known as sutures, which allow for growth and compliance required for respiration and movement and serve as a defense mechanism by absorbing energy during impacts. We take a bio-inspired approach and parameterize suture geometries to utilize geometric connections, rather than new engineering materials, to absorb high-impact loads. This study builds upon our work that investigated the effects of the dovetail suture contact angle, tangent length, and tab radius on the stiffness and toughness of an archway structure using finite element analysis. We explore how increasing the archway segmentation affects the mechanical response of the overall structure and investigate the effects of displacement when induced between sutures. First, when keeping displacement along a suture but increasing the number of archway pieces from two to four, we observed that stiffness and toughness were reduced substantially, although the overall trends stayed the same. Second, when the displacement was induced along an archway edge rather than upon a suture (in a three-piece archway), we observed that archway stiffness and toughness were much less sensitive to the changes in the suture parameters, but unlike the archway indented along the suture line, they tended to lose stiffness and toughness as the tangent length increased. This study is a step forward in the development of bio-inspired impact-resistant helmets. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Design for Structure Applications)
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14 pages, 5046 KiB  
Article
Ballistic Behavior of Bioinspired Nacre-like Composites
by Danny G. Chan-Colli, Eliana M. Agaliotis, David Frias-Bastar, Luming Shen, Jose G. Carrillo, Pedro J. Herrera-Franco and Emmanuel A. Flores-Johnson
Biomimetics 2023, 8(4), 341; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics8040341 - 1 Aug 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1667
Abstract
In this paper, the ballistic performance of a multilayered composite inspired by the structural characteristics of nacre is numerically investigated using finite element (FE) simulations. Nacre is a natural composite material found in the shells of some marine mollusks, which has remarkable toughness [...] Read more.
In this paper, the ballistic performance of a multilayered composite inspired by the structural characteristics of nacre is numerically investigated using finite element (FE) simulations. Nacre is a natural composite material found in the shells of some marine mollusks, which has remarkable toughness due to its hierarchical layered structure. The bioinspired nacre-like composites investigated here were made of five wavy aluminum alloy 7075-T651 (AA7075) layers composed of ~1.1-mm thick square tablets bonded together with toughened epoxy resin. Two composite configurations with continuous layers (either wavy or flat) were also studied. The ballistic performance of the composite plates was compared to that of a bulk monolithic AA7075 plate. The ballistic impact was simulated in the 300–600 m/s range using two types of spherical projectiles, i.e., rigid and elastoplastic. The results showed that the nacre plate exhibited improved ballistic performance compared to the bulk plate and the plates with continuous layers. The structural design of the nacre plate improved the ballistic performance by producing a more ductile failure and enabling localized energy absorption via the plastic deformation of the tablets and the globalized energy dissipation due to interface debonding and friction. All the plate configurations exhibited a better ballistic performance when impacted by an elastoplastic projectile compared to a rigid one, which is explained by the projectile plastic deformation absorbing some of the impact energy and the enlarged contact area between the projectile and the plates producing more energy absorption by the plates. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Design for Structure Applications)
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26 pages, 28034 KiB  
Article
Honeycomb Biosilica in Sponges: From Understanding Principles of Unique Hierarchical Organization to Assessing Biomimetic Potential
by Alona Voronkina, Eliza Romanczuk-Ruszuk, Robert E. Przekop, Pawel Lipowicz, Ewa Gabriel, Korbinian Heimler, Anika Rogoll, Carla Vogt, Milosz Frydrych, Pawel Wienclaw, Allison L. Stelling, Konstantin Tabachnick, Dmitry Tsurkan and Hermann Ehrlich
Biomimetics 2023, 8(2), 234; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics8020234 - 3 Jun 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3050
Abstract
Structural bioinspiration in modern material science and biomimetics represents an actual trend that was originally based on the bioarchitectural diversity of invertebrate skeletons, specifically, honeycomb constructs of natural origin, which have been in humanities focus since ancient times. We conducted a study on [...] Read more.
Structural bioinspiration in modern material science and biomimetics represents an actual trend that was originally based on the bioarchitectural diversity of invertebrate skeletons, specifically, honeycomb constructs of natural origin, which have been in humanities focus since ancient times. We conducted a study on the principles of bioarchitecture regarding the unique biosilica-based honeycomb-like skeleton of the deep-sea glass sponge Aphrocallistes beatrix. Experimental data show, with compelling evidence, the location of actin filaments within honeycomb-formed hierarchical siliceous walls. Principles of the unique hierarchical organization of such formations are discussed. Inspired by poriferan honeycomb biosilica, we designed diverse models, including 3D printing, using PLA-, resin-, and synthetic-glass-prepared corresponding microtomography-based 3D reconstruction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Design for Structure Applications)
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Review

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35 pages, 10426 KiB  
Review
Bridging Nature and Engineering: Protein-Derived Materials for Bio-Inspired Applications
by Taufiq Nawaz, Liping Gu, Jaimie Gibbons, Zhong Hu and Ruanbao Zhou
Biomimetics 2024, 9(6), 373; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics9060373 - 20 Jun 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1887
Abstract
The sophisticated, elegant protein-polymers designed by nature can serve as inspiration to redesign and biomanufacture protein-based materials using synthetic biology. Historically, petro-based polymeric materials have dominated industrial activities, consequently transforming our way of living. While this benefits humans, the fabrication and disposal of [...] Read more.
The sophisticated, elegant protein-polymers designed by nature can serve as inspiration to redesign and biomanufacture protein-based materials using synthetic biology. Historically, petro-based polymeric materials have dominated industrial activities, consequently transforming our way of living. While this benefits humans, the fabrication and disposal of these materials causes environmental sustainability challenges. Fortunately, protein-based biopolymers can compete with and potentially surpass the performance of petro-based polymers because they can be biologically produced and degraded in an environmentally friendly fashion. This paper reviews four groups of protein-based polymers, including fibrous proteins (collagen, silk fibroin, fibrillin, and keratin), elastomeric proteins (elastin, resilin, and wheat glutenin), adhesive/matrix proteins (spongin and conchiolin), and cyanophycin. We discuss the connection between protein sequence, structure, function, and biomimetic applications. Protein engineering techniques, such as directed evolution and rational design, can be used to improve the functionality of natural protein-based materials. For example, the inclusion of specific protein domains, particularly those observed in structural proteins, such as silk and collagen, enables the creation of novel biomimetic materials with exceptional mechanical properties and adaptability. This review also discusses recent advancements in the production and application of new protein-based materials through the approach of synthetic biology combined biomimetics, providing insight for future research and development of cutting-edge bio-inspired products. Protein-based polymers that utilize nature’s designs as a base, then modified by advancements at the intersection of biology and engineering, may provide mankind with more sustainable products. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Design for Structure Applications)
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24 pages, 5069 KiB  
Review
Bioinspired Design Rules from Highly Mineralized Natural Composites for Two-Dimensional Composite Design
by Anamika Prasad, Vikas Varshney, Dhriti Nepal and Geoffrey J. Frank
Biomimetics 2023, 8(6), 500; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics8060500 - 20 Oct 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1935
Abstract
Discoveries of two-dimensional (2D) materials, exemplified by the recent entry of MXene, have ushered in a new era of multifunctional materials for applications from electronics to biomedical sensors due to their superior combination of mechanical, chemical, and electrical properties. MXene, for example, can [...] Read more.
Discoveries of two-dimensional (2D) materials, exemplified by the recent entry of MXene, have ushered in a new era of multifunctional materials for applications from electronics to biomedical sensors due to their superior combination of mechanical, chemical, and electrical properties. MXene, for example, can be designed for specialized applications using a plethora of element combinations and surface termination layers, making them attractive for highly optimized multifunctional composites. Although multiple critical engineering applications demand that such composites balance specialized functions with mechanical demands, the current knowledge of the mechanical performance and optimized traits necessary for such composite design is severely limited. In response to this pressing need, this paper critically reviews structure–function connections for highly mineralized 2D natural composites, such as nacre and exoskeletal of windowpane oysters, to extract fundamental bioinspired design principles that provide pathways for multifunctional 2D-based engineered systems. This paper highlights key bioinspired design features, including controlling flake geometry, enhancing interface interlocks, and utilizing polymer interphases, to address the limitations of the current design. Challenges in processing, such as flake size control and incorporating interlocking mechanisms of tablet stitching and nanotube forest, are discussed along with alternative potential solutions, such as roughened interfaces and surface waviness. Finally, this paper discusses future perspectives and opportunities, including bridging the gap between theory and practice with multiscale modeling and machine learning design approaches. Overall, this review underscores the potential of bioinspired design for engineered 2D composites while acknowledging the complexities involved and providing valuable insights for researchers and engineers in this rapidly evolving field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Design for Structure Applications)
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