Sea Urchin Spines as a Model-System for Permeable,Light-Weight Ceramics with Graceful Failure Behavior.Part Ⅱ.Mechanical Behavior of Sea Urchin Spine Inspired Porous Aluminum Oxide Ceramics under Compression

Seaurchinspineswerechosenasamodelsystemforbiomimeticceramicsobtainedusingstarch-blendedslipcasting.Porousaluminaceramicswithcap-shapedlayerswithdifferentalternatingporositieswerefoundtohavesuperiorfracturebehaviorunderbulkcompressioncomparedtoceramicswithuniformporosity.Theyfailinacascadingmanner,absorbinghighamountsofenergyduringextendedcompressionpaths.TheporosityvariationinanotherwisesinglephasematerialmimicksthearchitecturalmicrostructuredesignofseaurchinspinesofHeterocentrotusmammillatus,whicharepromisingmodelmaterialsforimpactprotection.