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Tough, aorta-inspired soft composites.

ABSTRACT: Spatial variations in fiber alignment (and, therefore, in mechanical anisotropy) play a central role in the excellent toughness and fatigue characteristics of many biological materials. In this work, we examine the effect of fiber alignment in soft composites, including both "in-plane" and "out-of-plane" fiber arrangements. We take inspiration from the spatial variations of fiber alignment found in the aorta to three-dimensionally (3D) print soft, tough silicone composites with an excellent combination of stiffness, toughness, and fatigue threshold, regardless of the direction of loading. These aorta-inspired composites exhibit mechanical properties comparable to skin, with excellent combinations of stiffness and toughness not previously observed in synthetic soft materials.

SUBMITTER: Mo C

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9282241 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Tough, aorta-inspired soft composites.

Mo Chengyang C Long Haiyi H Raney Jordan R JR

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 20220705 28

Spatial variations in fiber alignment (and, therefore, in mechanical anisotropy) play a central role in the excellent toughness and fatigue characteristics of many biological materials. In this work, we examine the effect of fiber alignment in soft composites, including both "in-plane" and "out-of-plane" fiber arrangements. We take inspiration from the spatial variations of fiber alignment found in the aorta to three-dimensionally (3D) print soft, tough silicone composites with an excellent comb ...[more]

PMID: 35787051

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