Differential Multiscale Modeling of Chemically Complex Materials under Heavy Deformation: Biological, Bioinspired and Synthetic Hierarchical Materials
Abstract
This research was focused on modeling and design of high stress and impact mitigating structures, utilizing nanoscale patterning and hierarchical biomimetic concepts. The eventual goal is to create heterogeneous, hierarchical designs for thin coatings and bulk materials, capable of providing enhanced ability to mitigate high rate impact and deformation. The potential of a structure to mitigate impact, large stress and large deformation is characterized by (i) the ability of the material to dissipate energy under high rate deformation, (ii) the resistance to brittle fracture by crack formation under high rates, and (iii) the ability to redistribute load underneath a thin external coating film. To achieve this, our efforts are centered on the development of a holistic atomistic based core model of the deformation and fracture mechanisms of thin nanostructured coatings. Using atomistic simulation, we study the behavior of nanostructured composites under heavy impact loading, incorporating different material combinations that are coupled in various arrangements, at different length scales, arranged in a hierarchical pattern. The material combinations feature divergent characteristics such as hard-soft or brittle-ductile, since mixture of materials with disparate properties are often found in Nature's toughest and mechanically most robust materials, used to provide protective surfaces (e.g. in seashells, bone, spider silk). We demonstrated the development and application of such material design paradigms in studies of bone, silk, collagen (and similar materials), enabled through the development of multiscale models. Our work has pushed the frontier of biomechanics and biomaterials modeling to enable a bottom-up perspective of key issues that define robustness, strength and adaptability of biological and biologically inspired mechanically relevant materials for numerous applications.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2010
- Accession Number
- ADA533318
Entities
People
- Markus J. Buehler
Organizations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology