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Liquid crystal self-templating approach to ultrastrong and tough biomimic composites.

ABSTRACT: Materials with both high strength and toughness are in great demand for a wide range of applications, requiring strict design of ingredients and hierarchically ordered architecture from nano- to macro-scale. Nacre achieves such a target in the long natural evolution by alternative alignment of inorganic nanoplatelets and biomacromolecules. To mimic nacre, various strategies were developed, approaching nacre-comparable performance in limited size. How to remarkably exceed nacre in both property and size is a key issue to further the advancement of composites. Here we present liquid crystal self-templating methodology to make the next generation of ultrastrong and tough nacre-mimics continuously. The hierarchically assembled composites show the highest tensile strength (652 MPa) among nacre mimics, five to eight times as high as that of nacre (80-135 MPa), and excellent ductility with toughness of 18 MJ m(-3), one to two orders of magnitude greater than that of nacre (0.1 ~ 1.8 MJ m(-3)).

SUBMITTER: Hu X

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3734524 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Liquid crystal self-templating approach to ultrastrong and tough biomimic composites.

Hu Xiaozhen X Xu Zhen Z Liu Zheng Z Gao Chao C

Scientific reports 20130101

Materials with both high strength and toughness are in great demand for a wide range of applications, requiring strict design of ingredients and hierarchically ordered architecture from nano- to macro-scale. Nacre achieves such a target in the long natural evolution by alternative alignment of inorganic nanoplatelets and biomacromolecules. To mimic nacre, various strategies were developed, approaching nacre-comparable performance in limited size. How to remarkably exceed nacre in both property a ...[more]

PMID: 23918042

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Project description:High yield (>85%) and low-energy deconstruction of never-dried residual marine biomass is proposed following partial deacetylation and microfluidization. This process results in chitin nanofibrils (nanochitin, NCh) of ultrahigh axial size (aspect ratios of up to 500), one of the largest for bioderived nanomaterials. The nanochitins are colloidally stable in water (ζ-potential = +95 mV) and produce highly entangled networks upon pH shift. Viscoelastic and strong hydrogels are formed by ice templating upon freezing and thawing with simultaneous cross-linking. Slow supercooling and ice nucleation at -20 °C make ice crystals grow slowly and exclude nanochitin and cross-linkers, becoming spatially confined at the interface. At a nanochitin concentration as low as 0.4 wt %, highly viscoelastic hydrogels are formed, with a storage modulus of ∼16 kPa, at least an order of magnitude larger compared to those measured for the strongest chitin-derived hydrogels reported so far. Moreover, the water absorption capacity of the hydrogels reaches a value of 466 g g-1. Lyophilization is effective in producing cryogels with a density that can be tailored in a wide range of values, from 0.89 to 10.83 mg·cm-3, and corresponding porosity, between 99.24 and 99.94%. Nitrogen adsorption results indicate reversible adsorption and desorption cycles of macroporous structures. A fast shape recovery is registered from compressive stress-strain hysteresis loops. After 80% compressive strain, the cryogels recovered fast and completely upon load release. The extreme values in these and other physical properties have not been achieved before for neither chitin nor nanocellulosic cryogels. They are explained to be the result of (a) the ultrahigh axial ratio of the fibrils and strong covalent interactions; (b) the avoidance of drying before and during processing, a subtle but critical aspect in nanomanufacturing with biobased materials; and (c) ice templating, which makes the hydrogels and cryogels suitable for advanced biobased materials.

Dataset Information

Liquid crystal self-templating approach to ultrastrong and tough biomimic composites.

Publications

Liquid crystal self-templating approach to ultrastrong and tough biomimic composites.

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