Advance Materials Characterisation Facility Seminar

Figure 1: Ultrahard abrasion resistant radular teeth
of the giant chiton.

Title:            

From Nature to Engineering: Bio-mimetic and Bio-inspired Materials

Speaker:     

Professor David Kisailus,

University of California at Riverside
Kavli Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences 
Winston Chung Endowed Professor in Energy Innovation Biomimetics and Nanostructured Materials Lab
Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering

When:         
Friday 2^th of May 2014

4.00pm-5.00pm Talk5.00pm to 6.00pm Drinks with Speaker

Where:        
University of Western Sydney
School of Science and Health
Parramatta North Campus
Building LZ.G.14
Cnr Pemberton Street and Victoria Road, Rydalmere NSW 2116
(Parking is available on the campus for $7)

Abstract:

From Nature to Engineering: Bio-mimetic and Bio-inspired Materials

There is a growing need for the development of new light-weight structural materials with high strength and durability that are low-cost and recyclable. Nature has evolved efficient strategies, exemplified in the crystallized tissues of numerous species, to synthesize materials that often exhibit exceptional mechanical properties. These biological systems demonstrate the ability to control nano- and microstructural features that significantly improve the mechanical performance of otherwise brittle materials. In this work, we investigate a variety of organisms, specifically, the hyper-mineralized combative dactyl club of the stomatopods, a group of highly aggressive marine crustaceans, and the heavily crystallized radular teeth (Figure 1) of the chitons, a group of elongated mollusks that graze on hard substrates for algae. In addition, we will discuss developments in a bioluminescent and ultrahard mollusk.

From the investigation of structure-property relationships in these unique organisms using modern chemical, microscopic, morphological, and mechanical characterization techniques, we are now developing and fabricating cost-effective and environmentally friendly engineering composites with impact resistance and biologically inspired nanomaterials for energy conversion and storage.

This work is being done in collaboration with Dr. Kisailus’ Biomimetic and Nanostructured Materials Lab at the University of California at Riverside and Dr. LeighSheppard (Engineering) and Dr. Ric Wuhrer (AMC Facility), both at the University of Western Sydney.

Figure 2: The highly aggressive peacock mantis shrimp.

Biography: Professor David Kisailus is the Winston Chung Associate Professor of Energy Innovation in the Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering at University of California, Riverside. He has a B.S. in Chemical Engineering (Drexel University), a M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering (University of Florida), a Ph.D. in Materials Science and post-doctoral research in the Institute for Collaborative Biotechnologies (both at University of California, Santa Barbara). Prior to joining UCR, he was a research scientist at HRL Laboratories (Malibu, CA). His current research encompasses crystal growth and bio-inspired materials synthesis of nanomaterials, structure-function analyses of biological materials and synthesis of biomimetic composites.

For more information regarding the University of Western Sydney Centralised Research Facilities please visit http://www.uws.edu.au/innovation/centralised_research_facilities