Multiscale investigation of impact mitigation strategies: Biomimicking musk ox head

• Applicant: Dr. Rajaprakash Ramachandramoorthy, Ph.D.
• Subject Area: Polymeric and Biogenic Materials and Derived Composites ; Biomaterials ; Synthesis and Properties of Functional Materials
• Term: since 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 509709629

The goal of this project is to understand the fundamental mechanical behavior of musk ox head that yields extraordinary performance under extreme loading conditions, establish design rules for predictable and tunable energy absorption properties, and finally to transfer the lessons learned to design architected mesoscale metamaterials with outstanding energy absorption and impact mitigation capabilities. This will be done via a concerted effort to reduce the complexity of musk ox head by characterizing their hierarchical structures and the effect of length scale of their components individually from macro-to-nanoscale. Specifically, we will conduct advanced chemical and structural characterization, nano-to-micro scale material testing under extreme strain rate and micro-to-macroscale bio-mechanical simulations and experiments. Based on the gained knowledge, we plan to develop novel resilient mesoscale metamaterials with a low density, high energy absorption and impact mitigation capability, which based on the identified scaling laws, may be used as protective components across several length scales in various fields of industry including space, aviation, or MEMS sectors. The overall working hypothesis is: the hierarchical structure of ovibus moschatus can be resolved and used as a template to construct artificial metamaterial architectures that can withstand high energy impacts (specific energy absorption >20J/g) without failure between strain rates of 0.001/s and 1000/s.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Switzerland
• Partner Organisation: Schweizerischer Nationalfonds (SNF)
• Cooperation Partner: Dr. Jakob Schwiedrzik