From bioinspired multifunctionality to mimumes

TL;DR

This paper discusses the development of mimumes, microfibrous multifunctional metamaterials inspired by biological systems, highlighting their manufacturing viability and enhanced surface effects for advanced material design.

Contribution

It introduces mimumes as a new class of bioinspired, multifunctional metamaterials with microfibrous structures that are feasible for industrial production.

Findings

Mimumes exhibit enhanced surface effects compared to bulk materials.

Microfibrous morphology enables multifunctionality in engineered materials.

Mimumes of parylene C demonstrate industrial viability.

Abstract

The methodologies of bioinspiration, biomimetics, and bioreplication are inevitably pointing to the incorporation of multifunctionality in engineered materials when designing ever more complex systems. Optimal multifunctionality is also the defining characteristic of metamaterials. As fibrous materials are commonly manufactured from a variety of source materials, mimumes---i.e., microfibrous multifunctional metamaterials---are industrially viable even today, as exemplified by mimumes of parylene C. The microfibrous morphology of mimumes will enhance surface-dominated effects in comparison to those evinced by bulk materials.