Self-healing behaviour in man-made engineering materials: bioinspired but taking into account their intrinsic character.
Man-made engineering materials generally demonstrate excellent mechanical properties, which often far exceed those of natural materials. However, all such engineering materials lack the ability of self-healing, i.e. the ability to remove or neutralize microcracks without (much) intentional human interaction. This inability is the unintentional consequence of the damage prevention paradigm underlying all current engineering material optimization strategies. The damage management paradigm observed in nature can be reproduced successfully in man-made engineering materials, provided the intrinsic character of the various types of engineering materials is taken into account.
van der Zwaag
S
S
Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, Delft University of Technology2600 AA Delft, The Netherlands. s.vanderzwaag@tudelft.nl
van Dijk
N H
NH
Jonkers
H M
HM
Mookhoek
S D
SD
Sloof
W G
WG
D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D040761:Biomimetic Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D032701:Biomimetics; D001703:Biophysics / Q000379:methods; D002516:Ceramics; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006860:Hydrogen Bonding; D008420:Manufactured Materials; D008422:Materials Testing; D008670:Metals / Q000737:chemistry; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D008670:Metals; D011108:Polymers