Bioinspired Cementitious Materials: Main Strategies, Progress, and Applications

Abstract

Nature-inspired ensemble of organic and inorganic constituents, such as that found in the microstructure of nacre and dactyl clubs of Mantis shrimp, has evolved into the model system for the structural design of industrial composites. This novel design concept, which helps attaining the balance between strength, toughness and ductility, has not only induced a paradigm shift in the synthesis of advanced materials such as graphene-based composites but also, in the development of more abundant, low-cost materials such as cement and concretes. The advance in synthetic techniques and the advent of new manufacturing technologies such as 3D printing has enabled effective integration of cementitious materials with soft materials across various length scales. Furthermore, novel functional properties such as self-healing have also been materialized based on a variety of strategies. This review will provide the comprehensive overview on the ongoing research efforts, encompassing 3D printing, self-healing strategies and integration of C-S-H with organic components, all of which are actively exploited in synthesizing bioinspired, multifunctional cementitious materials.

Environmentally Responsive Materials for Building Envelopes: A Review on Manufacturing and Biomimicry-Based Approaches

“…The self-healing capacity of living organisms is fascinating and resourceful. It is commonly observed in several cells and tissues, such as bone tissues, skin, and blood [ 122 ]. Regarding building envelope applications, this approach has been explored with self-healing concretes.…”

Characterization of Calcium Silicate Hydrate Gels with Different Calcium to Silica Ratios and Polymer Modifications

“…Portland cement, which serves as a binding phase of concrete, is the most widely employed synthetic material. Besides its excellent characteristics such as high strength and cost-effectivity, some inherent mechanical shortcomings, such as a high brittleness, low toughness, and high susceptibility toward cracking, impede a greater diversity for such material in industrial applications [ 1 ]. This remains an intractable problem that shortens the lifetime of structures and costs billions of dollars for maintenance each year [ 2 ].…”

Bioinspired toughening of soft elastomer via embedded three‐dimensional printing

“…9 The key is to organize "hard" (biominerals) and "soft" (biopolymers) components into elegant hierarchical structures. [10][11][12] For example, the Bouligand structure, also known as rotating plywood structure, is present in numerous biomaterials, including arthropod exoskeletons (e.g., lobster claws), beetle cuticles, and fish scales. [13][14][15][16][17] In a typical Bouligand structure, fibers arrange in parallel directions to form multiple layers and each layer rotates at a constant angle θ (pitch angle) relative to the adjacent layer.…”

“…In contrast, the nature already provides an approach to achieve tunable mechanical properties with simple materials processed in an ambient environment 9 . The key is to organize “hard” (biominerals) and “soft” (biopolymers) components into elegant hierarchical structures 10–12 . For example, the Bouligand structure, also known as rotating plywood structure, is present in numerous biomaterials, including arthropod exoskeletons (e.g., lobster claws), beetle cuticles, and fish scales 13–17 .…”