Meeting Abstract

4.5  Tuesday, Jan. 4  Cellular Materials in Nature GIBSON, LJ*; ASHBY, MF; MIT; Cambridge University ljgibson@mit.edu

Cellular materials are widespread in nature. Wood and cork have a honeycomb-like structure with cells that are roughly hexagonal prisms. Trabecular bone, plant parenchyma, adipose tissue, coral and sponge all have a foam-like structure, with polyhedral cells. Natural structures often have a cellular component: skulls and leaves of monocotyledon plants are sandwich structures, with dense outer skins separated by a foam-like core; animal quills and plant stems are nearly fully dense cylindrical shells supported by a foam-like core; and palm and bamboo stems are cylinders with radial density gradients. This talk provides an overview of cellular materials in nature and illustrates how the cellular structure gives rise to increased mechanical performance.