The Earth's Lithosphere Inspires Materials Design

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Geology
• Biomimetics

Background:

• Biomimetic materials design traditionally draws inspiration from biological structures.
• Inanimate natural patterns, particularly from Earth's lithosphere, offer a largely untapped source for materials innovation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and advocate for the "lithomimetics" paradigm in materials design.
• To demonstrate the potential of lithospheric patterns for creating novel architectured materials.

Main Methods:

• Investigating structural patterns within the Earth's lithosphere.
• Utilizing established severe plastic deformation processes to emulate these lithospheric patterns.
• Exploring the application of these emulated patterns in architectured materials.

Main Results:

• Identified diverse structural patterns in the lithosphere suitable for materials design.
• Successfully emulated certain lithospheric patterns using severe plastic deformation.
• Established a viable link between lithospheric structures and advanced materials fabrication.

Conclusions:

• Lithomimetics presents a promising new avenue for designing advanced architectured materials.
• Inspiration from the lithosphere, combined with severe plastic deformation, can lead to novel material properties and functionalities.