Bioinspired Bouligand cellulose nanocrystal composites: a review of mechanical properties
Abstract
The twisted plywood, or Bouligand, structure is the most commonly observed microstructural motif in natural materials that possess high mechanical strength and toughness, such as that found in bone and the mantis shrimp dactyl club. These materials are isotropically toughened by a low volume fraction of soft, energy-dissipating polymer and by the Bouligand structure itself, through shear wave filtering and crack twisting, deflection and arrest. Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are excellent candidates for the bottom-up fabrication of these structures, as they naturally self-assemble into ‘chiral nematic’ films when cast from solutions and possess outstanding mechanical properties. In this article, we present a review of the fabrication techniques and the corresponding mechanical properties of Bouligand biomimetic CNC nanocomposites, while drawing comparison to the performance standards set by tough natural composite materials.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Dec 25, 2017
- Source ID
- 10.1098/rsta.2017.0050
Entities
People
- Bharath Natarajan
- Jeffrey W Gilman
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- Georgetown University
- National Institute of Standards and Technology