RMIT University engineers have unveiled a revolutionary material inspired by the intricate skeleton of the deep-sea sponge Euplectella aspergillum, commonly known as Venus’ flower basket.
The innovation, featuring a double lattice design, offers exceptional compressive strength, stiffness, and auxetic behaviour, paving the way for advancements in architectural and product design.
The Venus’ flower basket, a deep-sea sponge found in the Pacific Ocean, is renowned for its robust yet flexible silica skeleton.
Mimicking this structure, the RMIT team developed a double lattice pattern that combines stiffness and strength with auxetic properties — an ability to contract under compression.
Auxetics, unlike conventional materials, become thicker when stretched and thinner when compressed, enabling superior energy absorption and distribution.
“Auxetics can absorb and distribute impact energy effectively, making them extremely useful,” said Dr Jiaming Ma, lead author of the study published in Composite Structures.
The new design addresses the limitations of existing auxetic materials by significantly enhancing stiffness and energy absorption while maintaining flexibility.
Extensive testing revealed that the double lattice structure is 13 times stiffer than traditional auxetic materials and can absorb 10 per cent more energy.
Additionally, it offers a 60 per cent greater strain range compared to existing designs.
These improvements make it ideal for applications requiring high strength and impact resistance.
Dr Ngoc San Ha emphasised the material’s versatility, stating: “This bioinspired auxetic lattice provides the most solid foundation yet for us to develop next-generation sustainable building materials.”
The innovative material has broad applications across multiple industries:
- Construction: Steel building frames using this design could reduce steel and concrete usage while maintaining structural integrity.
- Protective Gear: Lightweight sports equipment and bulletproof vests could benefit from its energy-absorbing properties.
- Medical Devices: The material could be used in implants such as stents requiring expansion and contraction capabilities.
Honorary Professor Mike Xie highlighted the value of biomimicry, stating: “Not only does biomimicry create beautiful and elegant designs like this one, but it also creates smart designs optimised through millions of years of evolution.”
The team plans to produce steel versions of the lattice for integration into concrete and rammed earth structures.
They are also exploring machine learning algorithms to further optimise the design and develop programmable materials.
Dr Ma noted that this innovation could dampen vibrations during earthquakes, enhancing its utility in seismic zones.
This nature-inspired innovation underscores how lessons from the natural world can lead to transformative advances in engineering and sustainability.