Structural effects in 'brick-and-mortar' architecture: Bio-inspired ceramic matrix composites developed through a new method

Here, we present a bio-inspired ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) preparation method with highly controllable ceramic-brick size (length-to-thickness ratio, alpha, ranges from 5 to 40) based on a laser process combined with an adhesive bonding technology. Thanks to the toughening mechanisms such as crack deflection, bifurcation and bridging induced by ceramic-bricks and the strengthening mechanism controlled by ceramic-bridges, the failure displacement and the work of fracture (gamma wof) in CMCs have significantly improved by more than 15 and 3.5 times, respectively. On this basis, a novel CMCs, composed of layered ceramic and 'brick-and-mortar' ceramic, inspired by the compound structure of prismatic-and nacre-like layers in shell were prepared. Such a gradient design brought a improvement of 11.63 kJ/m2 in the gamma wof value, which was 2.6 times larger than the optimal improvement in pure 'brick-and-mortar' structural CMCs (4.45 kJ/m2). Compared with the experimental results, it was found that the strength and failure behavior of CMCs could be reasonably predicted with the help of the Pimenta and Begley models, while no appropriate model has been established as for the gamma wof prediction so far.

Automated summary

We developed a bio-inspired method for preparing highly controllable ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) using a laser process combined with adhesive bonding. The addition of ceramic bricks in the CMCs improved the failure displacement and work of fracture significantly. Inspired by the structure of prismatic-and nacre-like layers in shells, a novel CMCs composed of layered ceramic and 'brick-and-mortar' ceramic was prepared. The strength and failure behavior of the CMCs could be reasonably predicted using the Pimenta and Begley models, but there is no appropriate model for predicting the work of fracture.