According to recent reports from the Physicist Organization Network, lightweight skeletons made from organic materials like natural algae show superior performance compared to conventional products made from similar substances. Scientists have long suspected that this difference is due to the hierarchical architecture of these biomaterials, which feature intricate structures at the nanoscale—some as small as a few nanometers. Now, American researchers have taken inspiration from nature and created nano-hollow ceramic frameworks that mimic this structure. Surprisingly, even though over 85% of the material is air, it exhibits remarkable toughness. The findings were recently published in the *Nano-Materials* journal.
Julian Gorell, a professor of materials science and mechanics at Caltech and the lead researcher of the study, stated, “This research opens new possibilities for creating strong, lightweight metamaterials using nanomaterials.â€
Gorell’s team has discovered that materials behave differently at the macroscopic level compared to the nanoscale. For example, certain metals gain up to 50% more strength when scaled down, while some amorphous materials become more flexible rather than brittle. “We are deeply investigating this size effect and applying it to build real three-dimensional structures,†he explained.
The team first designed a repeating octahedral unit cell structure, similar to the patterns found in diatoms. Using two-photon photolithography, they fabricated a 3D polymer lattice and then coated it with titanium nitride (TiN), before removing the polymer core. The resulting ceramic nanolattice features hollow struts with inner walls as thin as 75 nm.
They tested individual octahedral units under stress and found that they can withstand significant tension without breaking—unlike titanium, which fractures under much less pressure. “Ceramics tend to break because of internal flaws such as voids or cracks,†Gorell explained. “But when objects are small enough, these flaws become negligible. This means that even though traditional structural mechanics suggests porous titanium nitride structures would be fragile, we can overcome this by reducing the material’s size and optimizing its microstructure.â€
In a separate paper set to appear in *Advanced Engineering Materials*, the team used gold instead of ceramic to create a similar nanolattice. So far, the largest structure they’ve built is a 1 mm-long tube, which showed impressive compressive strength during testing.
Gorell believes this breakthrough could revolutionize material design. “With this approach, we can reverse-engineer materials,†he said. “We start by defining the desired properties—like strength or thermal conductivity—and then choose the best materials to design the ideal structure. This allows us to produce exactly what we need.†He added that this versatile technique could be used to create lightweight, flexible components for batteries, sensors, catalysts, and even medical implants.
3Pc Ball Valves , 3Pc Ball Valve ,Stainless Steel 3Pc Ball Valve,3Pc Ball Valve With Extended Pipe
WENZHOU DIYE VALVE&FITTINGS CO.,LTD , https://www.diye-valve.com