Title:

Mechanical properties of ceramic composites with complex bioinspired properties

Speaker:

Prof. Hortense Le Ferrand

Affiliation:

Nanyang Technological University

When:

Thursday, February 1, 2024 at 11:00:00 AM   Add to Calendar

Where:

MRDC Building, Room 4211

Host:

Christos Athanasiou
athanasiou@gatech.edu

Abstract

In this talk, I will share the recent developments for the fabrication of reinforced composite materials with local control of the microstructure. First, I will explain the principle of magnetic direct ink writing that allows the controlled orientation of 2D microplatelets in bulk samples. Controlling this orientation tailors the properties of the composites, in particular their strength and toughness, including the crack propagation. With finite element simulations it is possible to predict the mechanical properties of various complex microstructural designs to meet the needs of a particular application. Secondly, I will introduce the direct ink writing of discontinuous fibrous composites with Bouligand microstructure and how the pitch and angle of the microstructure also varies the Izod impact resistance. The experimental results are supplemented with simulations. Finally, I will propose how these microstructural designs could be implemented into dense ceramic materials to potentially increase their toughness and impact resistance.

Biography

Hortense joined the faculty of Nanyang Technological University in Singapore in 2019. Her research combines sustainable manufacturing with hierarchical microstructures to create high performance materials using bioinspiration. She graduated in Physical Chemistry and Engineering from ESPCI Paris, France in 2012, and got a MSc and PhD in Materials science from ETH Zurich, Switzerland in 2013 and 2017. In 2020, Hortense was awarded the prestigious National Research Foundation (NRF) Fellowship from Singapore. In 2023, Hortense was listed among the MIT innovators under 35, Europe list and received the Nanyang Research award, Young investigator, from NTU, as well as the unique Nature awards, inspiring women in science, scientific achievement category from Nature Springer.