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Bioinspired and Multifunctional Tribological Materials for Sliding, Erosive, Machining, and Energy-Absorbing
Rahul Kumar1, Mansoureh Rezapourian1, Ramin Rahmani2,3
1Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Tallinn University of Technology, Ehitajate Tee 5, 19086 Tallinn, Estonia.
Biomimetics (Basel, Switzerland)
|April 26, 2024
Summary
Nature-inspired bionic surfaces offer advanced solutions for reducing friction and wear in diverse systems. This review critically assesses bioinspired texturing for sustainable tribology and biology synergy.
Area of Science:
- Tribology and Surface Engineering
- Biomimetics and Materials Science
Background:
- Friction and wear present significant challenges across numerous technological applications, from micro- and nanoelectromechanical systems to large-scale energy infrastructure.
- Nature-inspired bionic surfaces provide effective strategies for mitigating friction and wear through tailored texturing.
- Limited mechanistic understanding hinders the full exploitation of bioinspired texturing in tribological and biotribological contexts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a comprehensive assessment of bioinspired texturing for sustainable synergy between tribology and biology.
- To discuss nature-evolved surface solutions for complex tribological problems in dry and lubricated conditions.
- To explore the role of topography and design parameters in achieving multifunctional responses under specific tribological conditions.
Main Methods:
- Review and critical assessment of existing literature on bioinspired surface engineering.
- Analysis of nature-evolved examples for tribological solutions.
- Discussion of wear conditions including sliding, solid-particle erosion, machining, and impact.
- Exploration of topography-dependent multifunctional responses.
Main Results:
- Bioinspired surface modifications, such as roughness tailoring, can enhance load-bearing capacity, self-adaptiveness, and biological interactions.
- Nature provides successful models for surface texturing that address complex tribological challenges in various environments.
- Topographical design parameters are crucial for achieving tailored, multifunctional responses in tribological systems.
Conclusions:
- Bioinspired texturing offers significant potential for developing advanced materials and structures with enhanced wear resistance.
- A deeper mechanistic understanding is needed to fully unlock the benefits of bioinspired surfaces in tribology and biology.
- Interdisciplinary approaches are essential for advancing the future potential of bioinspired materials and structures.
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