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Abstract Cellular solids composed of a network of interconnected pores offer low‐density and high strength‐to‐weight ratio as exemplified by wood, bones, corks, and shells. However, the slender edges and low connectivity of the structs in cellular lattices make them vulnerable to buckle, fracture, or collapse. Here, by taking advantage of the continuity of a thin film that can follow curvatures and dissipate energy, shellular materials are created by dip coating a wireframe of the primitive triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) with an aqueous solution of lyotropic liquid crystalline graphene oxide (GO)/polymer composites. Regulated by surface tension, GO nanosheets align on the polymer soap film as the stress builds up during drying. When the wireframe mesh density is low, the shellular material is film‐dominated, demonstrating superior mechanical strength (384.30 Nm kg−1) and high specific energy absorption (1.59 kJ kg−1) yet lightweight (equivalent density, 0.063 g cm−3), with an energy absorption rate comparable to that of carbon nanotube‐based lattices but a lower equivalent density. The study offers insights into designing lightweight yet high‐strength structural materials that also function as impact energy absorbers.
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High strength and damage-tolerance in echinoderm stereom as a natural bicontinuous ceramic cellular solid
Abstract Due to their low damage tolerance, engineering ceramic foams are often limited to non-structural usages. In this work, we report that stereom, a bioceramic cellular solid (relative density, 0.2–0.4) commonly found in the mineralized skeletal elements of echinoderms (e.g., sea urchin spines), achieves simultaneous high relative strength which approaches the Suquet bound and remarkable energy absorption capability (ca. 17.7 kJ kg−1) through its unique bicontinuous open-cell foam-like microstructure. The high strength is due to the ultra-low stress concentrations within the stereom during loading, resulted from their defect-free cellular morphologies with near-constant surface mean curvatures and negative Gaussian curvatures. Furthermore, the combination of bending-induced microfracture of branches and subsequent local jamming of fractured fragments facilitated by small throat openings in stereom leads to the progressive formation and growth of damage bands with significant microscopic densification of fragments, and consequently, contributes to stereom’s exceptionally high damage tolerance.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1942865
- PAR ID:
- 10375993
- Publisher / Repository:
- Nature Publishing Group
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Nature Communications
- Volume:
- 13
- Issue:
- 1
- ISSN:
- 2041-1723
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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