The Earth's Lithosphere Inspires Materials Design

Structural patterns found in living organisms have long been inspiring biomimetic materials design. Here, it is suggested that a rich palette of patterns occurring in inanimate Nature, and especially in the Earth's lithosphere, could be not less inspirational for design of novel architectured materials. This materials design paradigm is referred to as lithomimetics and it is demonstrated that some of the patterns found in the lithosphere can be emulated by established processes of severe plastic deformation. This opens up interesting avenues for materials design in which potentially promising structural patterns are borrowed from the lithosphere's repository. The key aim here is to promulgate the lithomimetics paradigm as a promising approach to developing novel architectured materials.

Automated summary

Structural patterns in living organisms have long inspired biomimetic materials design, but it is suggested that a rich palette of patterns in inanimate Nature, especially in the Earth's lithosphere, could also inspire the design of novel architectured materials. This materials design paradigm, known as lithomimetics, demonstrates that some lithosphere patterns can be emulated through established processes, offering new avenues for materials design by borrowing potentially promising structural patterns from the lithosphere.