Ultra-lightweight living structural material for enhanced stiffness and environmental sensing.

Natural materials such as bone, wood, and bamboo can inspire the fabrication of stiff, lightweight structural materials. Biofilms are one of the most dominant forms of life in nature. However, little is known about their physical properties as a structural material.

Tough and Strong: Cross-Lamella Design Imparts Multifunctionality to Biomimetic Nacre.

The creation of structural composites with combined strength, toughness, low density, and biocompatibility remains a long-standing challenge. On the other hand, bivalve marine shells--exhibit strength, stiffness, and toughness that surpass even that of the nacre that is the most widely mimicked model for structural composites. The superior mechanical properties of shells originate from their cross-lamella design, comprising CaCO mineral platelets arranged in an "interlocked" herringbone fashion.