Project description
Controlling the mechanics, dynamic deformation and shape of biomimetic materials
Shape formation in developing organs is primarily driven by differential tissue growth that emerges from mechanochemical feedback, creating folds and transformations into nearly limitless shapes. Nature overcomes a theoretical geometrical constraint to accomplish this. Scientists have developed methods to produce bioinspired, synthetic, responsive materials with in-plane distortions and hence shape-morphing capabilities. However, the dynamical processes and mechanics leading to the final equilibrium shape have remained a ‘black box’. The ERC-funded DynaMorph project aims to shine light in this box using hybrid elastic plates embedded in a network of fluid-filled cavities. The project intends to develop structures by controlling the mechanics, dynamic deformation and shape, targeting adaptive peristaltic endotracheal cuffs.
Objective
Transforming a flat plate into a doubly curved shell is not possible without distorting in-plane distances, as stated by Gauss in his seminal theorem. In natural morphogenesis, this strong geometrical constraint is overcome by differential growth in the tissues, which induces mechanical stresses and thus the buckling in a rich variety of shapes. Over the last decade, emerging approaches have embraced this paradigm to develop bioinspired synthetic responsive materials with in-plane distortions, and hence shape-morphing capabilities. However, despite rapid developments, current efforts primarily focus on programming the final equilibrium shape, overseeing the dynamical trajectory of the transformation but also the mechanics of the morphed structure. As a result, exciting biomedical applications perspective in minimally invasive surgery, rehabilitation and soft robotics remain so far elusive.
Here, I aim to develop structures in which the shape, but also the mechanics and the dynamical deformation trajectory may be programmed in time. To do so, I propose to develop hybrid elastic plates embedding a network of fluid-filled cavities. First, I will generalise design principles to create unit cells that dispose of all six deformation modes (both in-plane and out-of-plane) when pressurized. Assembling such cells will enable univocal shape selection but also internal degrees of freedom to control the frustrated mechanics. Then, I will unravel the coupling between fluid viscosity and cavity geometry to spatially control the homogenized viscoelastic property of the material. The subsequent timescales will be finally used to program the dynamical deformation trajectory of the structure when submitted to a mechanical or fluidic load.
Taken together, I propose to develop new experimental standards and theoretical frameworks to pave the way for the first fully controllable shape-morphing materials, with applications for adaptive peristaltic endotracheal cuffs in view.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicinesurgery
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicinephysiotherapy
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringrobotics
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Programme(s)
- HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme
Topic(s)
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC GrantsHost institution
75794 Paris
France