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ARTICLE

Derivation of the Stress-Strain Behavior of the constituents of Bio-Inspired Layered TiO₂/PE-Nanocomposites by Inverse Modeling Based on FE-Simulations of Nanoindentation Test

by G. Lasko∗, I. Schäfer∗, Z. Burghard†^†, J. Bill†^†, S. Schmauder∗U. Weber∗, D. Galler‡

∗ Institute for Materials Testing, Materials Science and Strength of Materials, University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 32, D 70569, Stuttgart, Germany. E-mail: galina.lasko@imwf.uni-stuttgart.de
† Institute of Materials Science, University of Stuttgart, Heisenberg strasse 3, D 70569 Stuttgart, Germany.
‡ Stuttgart University, 070569, Stuttgart, Germany.

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics 2013, 10(1), 27-42. https://doi.org/10.3970/mcb.2013.010.027

Abstract

Owing to the apparent simple morphology and peculiar properties, nacre, an iridescent layer, coating of the inner part of mollusk shells, has attracted considerable attention of biologists, material scientists and engineers. The basic structural motif in nacre is the assembly of oriented plate-like aragonite crystals with a ’brick’ (CaCO₃ crystals) and ’mortar’ (macromolecular components like proteins) organization. Many scientific researchers recognize that such structures are associated with the excellent mechanical properties of nacre and biomimetic strategies have been proposed to produce new layered nanocomposites. During the past years, increasing efforts have been devoted towards exploiting nacre’s structural design principle in the synthesis of novel nanocomposites. However, the direct transfer of nacre’s architecture to an artificial inorganic material has not been achieved yet. In the present contribution we report on laminated architecture, composed of the inorganic oxide (TiO₂) and organic polyelectrolyte (PE) layers which fulfill this task.
To get a better insight and understanding concerning the mechanical behaviour of bio-inspired layered materials consisting of oxide ceramics and organic layers, the elastic-plastic properties of titanium dioxide and organic polyelectrolyte phase are determined via FE-modelling of the nanoindentation process. With the use of inverse modeling and based on numerical models which are applied on the microscopic scale, the material properties of the constituents are derived.

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