Researchers develop method to design synthetic materials and
quickly turn the design into reality using computer optimization and 3-D
printing.
Researchers working to design new materials that are
durable, lightweight and environmentally sustainable are increasingly looking
to natural composites, such as bone, for inspiration: Bone is strong and tough
because its two constituent materials, soft collagen protein and stiff
hydroxyapatite mineral, are arranged in complex hierarchical patterns that
change at every scale of the composite, from the micro up to the macro.