3D-printed bioinspired Al2O3/polyurea dual-phase architecture with high robustness, energy absorption, and cyclic life

Ceramics are attractive for structural components because of their excellent load-bearing capacity. Nevertheless, inferior energy-absorbing ability and poor reliability under common quasi-static and dynamic environments, especially under cyclic loading, extremely limit the popularization of ceramic components. The coupling between cellular structures inspired by the light but strong porous trabeculae and core-shell structure in strong and tough natural materials provides a solution for strengthening the load-bearing capacity, energy absorption ability, and cyclic life of ceramic components. Here, we proposed a bioinspired cellular ceramic structure/polyurea (CCS/ polyurea) dual-phase architecture via additive manufacturing and simple infiltration technologies. It was demonstrated that the specific load-bearing capacity and energy-absorbing ability of bioinspired CCS/polyurea dual-phase architecture under quasi-static compressive loading were 2.22 and 50.34 times of CCS, respectively. Significantly, it could be repeatedly loaded at 40.28 and 48.82 MPa for over 120 and 8 cycles, respectively. Furthermore, CCS/polyurea dual-phase architecture performed extraordinary cyclic life under dynamic loading. The cyclic lives of CCS/polyurea dual-phase architecture at impact speeds of -6 and -12 m/s reached as high as 11 and 2, respectively. This research provides a credible approach to building ceramic-based materials with extraordinary load-bearing capacity, energy absorption ability, and especially remarkable cyclic life.