Nacre-Inspired Structural Composites: Performance-Enhancement Strategy and Perspective

Abstract

For modern material engineering, one of the most ambitious goals is to develop lightweight structural materials with superior strength and toughness. Nacre, a typical biomaterial with high mechanical performance, has always inspired synthesis of high-performance structural composites. Here, the synthesis strategies for further enhancing the strength and toughness of novel nacre-inspired structural composites, including ternary artificial nacre, artificial nacre reinforced by bridges, and those with an ultrahigh content of a hard phase, are reviewed. Also, the challenges and outlook for preparing lighter, stronger, and tougher structural composites are discussed.

Nacre-inspired structural composites show exceptional mechanical properties, as they inherit natural nacre's brick-and-mortar structure. Strategies for further strengthening and toughening nacre-inspired structural composites are reviewed, including ternary artificial nacre, artificial nacre reinforced by bridges, and ultrahigh content of hard phase. The challenges and outlook for lighter, stronger, and tougher artificial structural composites are also provided.

http://ift.tt/2h1EWZf