LECTURE: prof Thomas Speck on Plant inspired materials
Lotus flower and seeds © Thinkstock Photos
08.05.2017 The Seminars start at 13h15 in MXF1.
Prof Speck is a leading scientists in the domain of bioinspired materials. his presentation will focus on his lates research on plant inspired materials for building construction, with the focus on lightweight and damping materials
Tapping the wondrous world of plant structures and functions for bio-inspired materials research
Prof. Thomas Speck
University of Freiburg
Germany
Abstract - Biography - Website - Add to calendar
Plant Biomechanics Group Freiburg, Botanic Garden, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestr. 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany, Competence Network Biomimetics, Freiburg Centre for Interactive Materials and Bioinspired Technologies (FIT) and Freiburg Materials Research Centre (FMF)
During the last decades biomimetics has attracted increasing attention as well from basic and applied research as from various fields of industry, architecture and especially from building construction. Biomimetics has a high innovation potential and offers the possibility for the development of sustainable technical products and production chains. The huge number of organisms with the specific structures and functions they have developed during evolution in adaptation to differing environments represents the basis for all biomimetic R&D-projects. Novel sophisticated methods for quantitatively analysing and simulating the form-structure-function-relationship on various hierarchical levels allowed new fascination insights in multi-scale mechanics and other functions of biological materials and surfaces. On the other hand, new production methods enable for the first time the transfer of many outstanding properties of the biological role models into innovative biomimetic products for reasonable costs. Within the framework of the new Collaborative Research Centre CRC 141 “Biological Design and Integrative Structures - Analysis, Simulation and Implementation in Architecture” an interdisciplinary team of biologists, physicists, mathematicians, engineers, material scientists and architects aims to explore the potential of biomimetics for a new smart kind of bioinspired architecture.
After a short introduction into the interdisciplinary approach and the different process sequences for the development of biomimetic materials for building construction are presented using examples from CRC 141 and other current R&D-projects of the Plant Biomechanics Group Freiburg. Main focus is laid on bioinspired light-weight and damping materials and structures as well as on self-x-materials. Examples for light-weight materials with excellent mechanical properties are branched fiber-reinforced composite materials and jackets for concrete pillars inspired by branched stems of dragon trees and columnar cacti. Examples for structural materials with a high energy dissipation capacity include fiber-reinforced graded foams and ultra-thin-layer materials which are inspired by fruit peels (pomelo, coconut) and seed coats (macadamia). Examples for compliant mechanisms include rod-shaped structures with (self-)adaptive stiffness and hinge-less bending behaviour as well as the bioinspired façade-shading systems flectofin® and flectofold inspired by the bird of paradise flower and the waterwheel plant, respectively. Additionally some examples for biomimetic self-repairing materials and structures inspired by various plant organs will be presented.
Literature:
J. Knippers, T. Speck & K. Nickel (eds.) (2016): Biomimetic Research for Architecture and Building Construction: Biological Design and Integrative Structures. Biologically-Inspired Systems, Vol. 9, Springer, Heidelberg, Berlin. DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-46374-2_7
Bührig-Polaczek, A., Fleck, C., Speck, T., Schüler, P., Fischer, S.F., Caliaro, M. & Thielen, M. (2016): Biomimetic Cellular Metals - Using Hierarchical Structuring for Energy Absorption. – Bioinspiration and Biomimetics, 11(4): DOI:10.1088/1748-3190/11/4/045002
Speck, T., Mülhaupt, R. & Speck, O. (2013): Self-healing in plants as bio-inspiration for self-repairing polymers. – In: W. Binder (ed.), Self-Healing Polymers, 61 - 89. Wiley-VCH, Weinheim.
During the last decades biomimetics has attracted increasing attention as well from basic and applied research as from various fields of industry, architecture and especially from building construction. Biomimetics has a high innovation potential and offers the possibility for the development of sustainable technical products and production chains. The huge number of organisms with the specific structures and functions they have developed during evolution in adaptation to differing environments represents the basis for all biomimetic R&D-projects. Novel sophisticated methods for quantitatively analysing and simulating the form-structure-function-relationship on various hierarchical levels allowed new fascination insights in multi-scale mechanics and other functions of biological materials and surfaces. On the other hand, new production methods enable for the first time the transfer of many outstanding properties of the biological role models into innovative biomimetic products for reasonable costs. Within the framework of the new Collaborative Research Centre CRC 141 “Biological Design and Integrative Structures - Analysis, Simulation and Implementation in Architecture” an interdisciplinary team of biologists, physicists, mathematicians, engineers, material scientists and architects aims to explore the potential of biomimetics for a new smart kind of bioinspired architecture.
After a short introduction into the interdisciplinary approach and the different process sequences for the development of biomimetic materials for building construction are presented using examples from CRC 141 and other current R&D-projects of the Plant Biomechanics Group Freiburg. Main focus is laid on bioinspired light-weight and damping materials and structures as well as on self-x-materials. Examples for light-weight materials with excellent mechanical properties are branched fiber-reinforced composite materials and jackets for concrete pillars inspired by branched stems of dragon trees and columnar cacti. Examples for structural materials with a high energy dissipation capacity include fiber-reinforced graded foams and ultra-thin-layer materials which are inspired by fruit peels (pomelo, coconut) and seed coats (macadamia). Examples for compliant mechanisms include rod-shaped structures with (self-)adaptive stiffness and hinge-less bending behaviour as well as the bioinspired façade-shading systems flectofin® and flectofold inspired by the bird of paradise flower and the waterwheel plant, respectively. Additionally some examples for biomimetic self-repairing materials and structures inspired by various plant organs will be presented.
Literature:
J. Knippers, T. Speck & K. Nickel (eds.) (2016): Biomimetic Research for Architecture and Building Construction: Biological Design and Integrative Structures. Biologically-Inspired Systems, Vol. 9, Springer, Heidelberg, Berlin. DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-46374-2_7
Bührig-Polaczek, A., Fleck, C., Speck, T., Schüler, P., Fischer, S.F., Caliaro, M. & Thielen, M. (2016): Biomimetic Cellular Metals - Using Hierarchical Structuring for Energy Absorption. – Bioinspiration and Biomimetics, 11(4): DOI:10.1088/1748-3190/11/4/045002
Speck, T., Mülhaupt, R. & Speck, O. (2013): Self-healing in plants as bio-inspiration for self-repairing polymers. – In: W. Binder (ed.), Self-Healing Polymers, 61 - 89. Wiley-VCH, Weinheim.