From seashells to cement, nature inspires tougher building
(Credit: Sameer A. Khan/Fotobuddy)
material
June 11, 2024 – Inspired by the material that makes up oyster and abalone shells, engineers at Princeton University (VS) have created a new cement composite that is 17 times more crack-resistant than standard cement and 19 times more able to stretch and deform without breaking. The findings could eventually help increase the crack resistance of a wide range of brittle ceramic materials, from concrete to porcelain.
According to the researchers, the findings are based on laboratory conditions and more research is needed to make the techniques useful for use in practical situations. They now want to investigate whether fracture toughness and material toughness can be applied to materials other than cement paste, such as concrete.
The article ‘Tough and Ductile Architected Nacre-Like Cementitious Composites’ was published June 10 in the journal Advanced Functional Materials.
