Concurrent Multiphysics Modeling of Bio-Inspired Functional Materials

University Of Illinois At Chicago, Chicago IL

Investigators

Abstract

Concurrent Multiphysics Modeling of Bio-Inspired Functional Materials Research objectives and approaches. Functional materials is a new class of modern material systems, which are developed to have an intelligent action in response to specific external conditions via some special sensing, actuating, adapting and self-recovering capabilities. Many opportunities are inspired by the biological world leading to a range of self-healing materials and advanced implant materials for medical applications. Special properties of these materials owe to the complex interplay between their mechanical properties and internal kinetic processes, whose analysis by traditional methods is irrelevant. The project's objective is to develop novel multiphysics methods, adequate for the computer-based design and prediction of properties of such materials. The basic approach consists in bringing together the elastomechanic and kinetic descriptions of materials with dynamic internal structure within a concurrent computational framework. This research work will provide valuable numerical tools to material scientists and engineers, and also leverage various educational and minority programs at the UIC, one of the most diverse urban universities in the United States. Societal benefits. Bio-inspired materials research will make a great positive impact to the society via higher quality and more reliable materials for a variety of industrial, military and aerospace applications. With 20% of the US population having medical implants, issues of the adequate computer modeling and characterization of resorbable implant materials will surely help to improve the health standards, and quality of medical services. Therefore, the novel simulation-based tools, as the out-come this project, will provide a powerful impetus to the development of self-healing and resorbable implant materials in the near future.