Materials Biomimicked From Natural Ones

Biomimicking materials from natural ones poses a number of problems, although it is the most direct approach to bioinspiration, compared to the bare extraction of design concepts from biological organisms and applying them to another design without any consideration of geometrical hence structural similarity. The issues concentrate particularly on the achievement of an adapted material geometry, able to effectively reproduce the spiraliform effect and the subsequent layering philosophy, experimented in nature. In practice, only a few species have been specifically targeted for the purpose, following mechanical studies and observation campaigns. This chapter concentrates specifically on giving a brief account of the principal achievements obtained as regards mechanical performance characteristics not currently available in engineering design of materials. Examples of these are the coexistence of high toughness, hardness, and strength in ceramic, the possibility to modify performance under stress of the same material only by structure design and the obtainment of reversible adhesion regardless of substrate.