Researchers have finally figured out how nacre – also known as mother of pearl – forms its perfect structure. As one of the strongest naturally-occurring materials known to science, nacre is coveted ...

“If we can engineer concrete to resist crack propagation, we can make it tougher, safer and more durable.” To make their nacre-like composite material, the researchers created hexagonal tablets from ...

Special wettability of solid surfaces is a ubiquitous phenomenon in nature and has attracted much attention because of its potential applications in diverse fields, such as oil-water separation, ...

Natural materials have extraordinary mechanical properties, which are based on sophisticated arrangements and combinations of multiple building blocks. One key aspect of today’s materials research ...

To make epoxy-graphene nanocomposites, the graphene nanosheets are commonly mixed homogeneously with the epoxy matrix. However, one of the problems that bedevils these nanocomposites is the issue of ...

(Nanowerk Spotlight) The remarkable properties of some natural materials have motivated many researchers to synthesize biomimetic nanocomposites that attempt to reproduce Nature’s achievements and to ...

Mollusks possess sturdy protective shells, thanks to their internal nacre structure. Nacre, the natural nanocomposite, demonstrates outstanding mechanical properties through both high strength and ...

The iridescent gleam of mother-of-pearl couldn’t come from more milquetoast materials. Mollusks make the stuff, also known as nacre, from calcium carbonate and a smattering of organic matter. Despite ...