Freezing as a path to build complex composites

TL;DR

This paper explores using ice formation physics to create complex, layered hybrid materials inspired by natural nacre and bone, achieving significantly enhanced strength for various biomedical and structural applications.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method leveraging ice formation to fabricate intricate hybrid composites with improved mechanical properties.

Findings

Artificial bone with up to four times higher strength

Development of ceramic/metal composites

Creation of porous scaffolds for tissue regeneration

Abstract

Materials that are strong, ultra-light weight and tough are in demand for a range of applications, requiring architectures and components carefully designed from the micrometer down to nanometer scales. Nacre-a structure found in many molluscan shells-and bone are frequently used as examples for how nature achieves this through hybrid organic-inorganic composites. Unfortunately, it has proven extremely difficult to transcribe nacre-like clever designs into synthetic materials, partly because their intricate structures need to be replicated at several length scales. We demonstrate how the physics of ice formation can be used to develop sophisticated porous and layered-hybrid materials, including artificial bone, ceramic/metal composites, and porous scaffolds for osseous tissue regeneration with strengths up to four times higher than those currently used for implantation.