Bending behavior of biomimetic scale covered beam with tunable stiffness scales.

ABSTRACT: Biomimetic scales provide a convenient template to tailor the bending stiffness of the underlying slender substrate due to their mutual sliding after engagement. Scale stiffness can therefore directly impact the substrate behavior, opening a potential avenue for substrate stiffness tunability. Here, we have developed a biomimetic beam, which is covered by tunable stiffness scales. Scale tunability is achieved by specially designed plate like scales consisting of layers of low melting point alloy (LMPA) phase change materials fully enclosed inside a soft polymer. These composite scales can transition between stiff and soft states by straddling the temperatures across LMPA melting points thereby drastically altering stiffness. We experimentally analyze the bending behavior of biomimetic beam

SUBMITTER: Tatari M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7554036 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature