Abstract:

Inspired by brick-and-mortar architectures and suture interfaces, we propose a design of bioinspired nacre-like materials with interlocking sutures to improve the toughness of brittle materials. Laser-engraved glass interlockers are laminated with soft interlayers in a staggered arrangement, and the fundamental mechanical properties of the structure are investigated through experiments and numerical modeling. It is found that the tensile performance, such as the strength and toughness, is strongly affected by the interlocking angle and suture line spacing. The geometric interlocking originated from suture interfaces as well as tablet sliding arising from the staggered arrangement of interlockers cooperatively contribute to enhancing the strength and toughness of this bioinspired design. Additionally, the finite element modeling shows the interfacial failure and plastic deformation, revealing the interplay of the geometric interlocking mechanism and the sliding mechanism. This novel bioinspired design paves a new path for fabrication of structural materials combining high stiffness, high strength, and enhanced toughness.

Key words: jigsaw-like, geometric interlocking, nacre-like, tablet sliding, toughness, glass