Strong, Durable Composite Technology Inspired by the Mantis Shrimp

Innovation: Industry

Helicoid Industries

2020

Image: Rickard Zerpe / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY SA - Creative Commons Attribution + ShareAlike

Prevent Fracture/Rupture

High force impact or stress can cause materials that comprise living systems to separate into two or more pieces (called fracturing) or to break or burst suddenly (called rupturing). For example, a scallop prevents structural failure from fracture because its shell is comprised of two materials of varying stiffness. When a crack moves from the scallop’s stiff material to the less stiff one, the latter reduces the force at the tip of the crack, thereby stopping it from spreading farther.

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Physically Assemble Structure

Living systems use physical materials to create structures to serve as protection, insulation, and other purposes. These structures can be internal (within or attached to the system itself), such as cell membranes, shells, and fur. They can also be external (detached), such as nests, burrows, cocoons, or webs. Because physical materials are limited and the energy required to gather and create new structures is costly, living systems must use both conservatively. Therefore, they optimize the structures’ size, weight, and density. For example, weaver birds use two types of vegetation to create their nests: strong, a few stiff fibers and numerous thin fibers. Combined, they make a strong, yet flexible, nest. An example of an internal structure is a bird’s bone. The bone is comprised of a mineral matrix assembled to create strong cross-supports and a tubular outer surface filled with air to minimize weight.

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Prevent Deformation

When a living system undergoes compression, tension, shear, bending, or twisting, its internal inter-molecular forces can often resist these forces and even change shape temporarily, returning to the original shape when the forces stop. However, if the force is too strong or lasts too long, permanent deformation or structural failure can occur, resulting in death. Therefore, living systems have strategies to resist deformation or help ensure limited deformation. For example, bones have thin crystals and proteinaceous fibers that provide strength and flexibility, protecting them from forces that would otherwise cause deformation on a daily basis.

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Manage Mechanical Wear

A living system is subject to mechanical wear when two parts rub against each other or when the living system comes in contact with abrasive components in its environment, such as sand or coral. Some abrasive components are a constant force, such as finger joints moving, while others occur infrequently, such as a sand storm moving across a desert. Living systems protect from mechanical wear using strategies appropriate to the level and frequency of the source, such as having abrasion-resistant surfaces, replaceable parts, or lubricants. For example, human joints like shoulders and knees move against each other all day, every day. To protect from mechanical wear, a lubricant reduces friction between the cartilage and the joint.

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Manage Impact

An impact is a high force or mechanical shock that happens over a short period of time, such as a hammer hitting a nail rather than a hand pushing slowly against a wall. Because of their speed and force, impacts don’t allow materials to slowly adjust to the force, which can lead to cracks, ruptures, and complete breakage. Therefore, living systems have strategies that can absorb, dissipate, or otherwise survive that force without the need to add large amounts of material. For example, the Toco toucan’s large beak is very lightweight, yet can withstand impacts because it’s made of a composite material with rigid foam inside and layers of a hard, fibrous material outside.

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Helicoid Technology uses an innovative helicoid design to increase strength and toughness while using less materials.

Benefits

Reduced waste
Reduced CO2 emissions
Increased strength

Applications

Manufacturing
Renewable energy
Automobiles
Aviation

UN Sustainable Development Goals Addressed

Goal 9: Industry Innovation & Infrastructure
Goal 11: Sustainable Cities & Communities
Goal 12: Responsible Production & Consumption

The Challenge

The composite materials industry is always looking for ways to increase performance, in order to reduce the amount of raw materials used and to make lightweight, tougher products. For example, doubling the length of a wind turbine blade would quadruple the energy output, reducing the weight of automobiles by 10% can result in 6-8% fuel economy improvement, and lighter aircraft would reduce fuel costs and decrease an airline’s carbon footprint.

Innovation Details

Helicoid™ Technology mimics the ‘helicoid’ structure found in the incredibly strong and lightweight mantis shrimp club. By incorporating this design into composite materials, companies can create products with reduced weight, increased strength, increased toughness, and improved impact resistance, all while reducing material costs. The technology works seamlessly with existing manufacturing processes, allowing any composite industry to use less material while making a stronger product.

Watch how Helicoid Industries was inspired by the mantis shrimp to make better composites.

Biological Model

The “smasher” mantis shrimp evolved an internal architecture to protect the hammer-like club it uses to pulverize prey. The club moves at speeds faster than a .22 caliber bullet without sustaining damage to its chitin exoskeleton. Its secret is in the architecture of the club, with layers of chitin each offset by about 15 degrees. This “helicoid” architecture prevents cracks from expanding, minimizes damage propagation and ultimately dissipates significant amounts of energy from strikes to avoid catastrophic failure.

See Related Content

Biological Strategy

High-impact Appendage Resists Cracking

Peacock mantis shrimp

Shrimp’s attack club distributes impact among spiraled layers of fibers

Ray of Hope Prize

The Ray of Hope Prize® celebrates nature-inspired solutions addressing the world’s biggest environmental and sustainability challenges. Created in honor of Ray C. Anderson, founder of Interface, Inc. and a business and sustainability leader, the $100,000 Ray of Hope Prize helps startups cross a critical threshold in becoming viable businesses by amplifying their stories and providing them with equity-free funding. The prize shines a light on the innovative, nature-inspired solutions that we need to build a sustainable and resilient world. Helicoid Industries was selected as a finalist for the 2020 Ray of Hope Prize.

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