PhD in Chemical and Materials Sciences

BIOINSPIRED MATERIALS

BIOINSPIRED MATERIALS

Academic year 2017/2018

Sommario del corso

• Course objectives
• Program
• Notes
• Teaching tools

Course objectives

- Provide an overview of the main structural features of biological materials and the main differences with the most common artificial materials in technological fields

- Provide an introduction to the theories of elasticity, fracture mechanics, and propagation of elastic waves

- Provide an overview of composite and nanocomposite materials for structural applications

- Provide an overviwe of the principles of bio-inspiration, provide examples of interest, and discuss the main current research topics in the field of mechanics

- Provide examples of bioinspired approaches in various fields of materials science including: lightweight, strong and tough materials, adhesive materials, materials for friction control, materials and structures for vibration control

- Provide an overview of research on metamaterials, with examples of applications and links to the field of bio-inspired materials

- Fornire una panoramica sulle principali caratteristiche strutturali dei materiali biologici e le principali differenze con i materiali artificiali più diffusi in ambito tecnologico

- Fornire elementi di base di elasticità, resistenza dei materiali, e propagazione di onde elastiche

- Fornire una panoramica sui materiali compositi e nanocompositi per applicazioni strutturali

- Fornire un quadro dei principi della bioispirazione, fornire degli esempi significativi, e discutere le principali linee di ricerca attuali in ambito meccanico

- Fornire degli esempi di approcci bioispirati in vari campi della scienza dei materiali, tra cui: materiali leggeri, resistenti e tenaci, materiali adesivi, materiali per il controllo dell'attrito, materiali e strutture per il controllo delle vibrazioni

- Fornire una panoramica della ricerca sui metamateriali, con esempi di applicazioni, collegando il discorso al campo dei materiali bioispirati

Program

The course covers some of the main topics in the mechanics of biological and bioinspired materials, i.e. materials that draw inspiration from specific examples found in Nature that display exceptional performances and functionality.

Topics:
Biomaterials and biological structural materials: wood, bone, tendons, spider silk... ;
Achieving function through structure: examples of bioinspired design (e.g. gecko paws, spider webs, lotus leaves);
Importance of hierarchical structure;
Simultaneous optimization of competing properties: Strength vs. toughness, Stiffness vs. density, etc.  Biomimicry and bioinspiration.
Artificial materials: traditional composite materials, nanocomposites and their applications. Hierarchical composite materials. Bioinspired composite materials. Self-healing materials. Metamaterials.
Review of basic physical concepts and their application to biological/bioinspired materials: elasticity, fracture mechanics, flaw tolerance, fatigue, adhesion/antiadhesion, hydrophobicity, friction, wave propagation and damping.
Theoretical models and numerical approaches used in the modelling of heterogeneous (composite) materials; multiscale modelling; fibrous materials and fibre bundle models; finite element modelling; peridynamics.
Examples and case studies.

Class schedule

Note

ORARIO:

8 Marzo 2018, ore 14-16, Aula Wick (Dip. di Fisica)

15 Marzo 2018, ore 14-16 Aula Wick (Dip. di Fisica)

22 Marzo 2018, ore 14-16 Aula Wick (Dip. di Fisica)

5 Aprile 2018, ore 14-16 Aula Wataghin (Dip. di Fisica)

• Teaching materials
• Exams and finals
• Go to Moodle
• Visit the forums