Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México.

Facultad de Ingeniería.

Procesos Industriales.
Camarena Velázquez Víctor Alexis.
 Facultad de
Ingeniería

The article titled "Nature-inspired materials: Emerging trends and prospects" provides an
overview of the field of nature-inspired materials and discusses current trends and
opportunities in this area. The authors define nature-inspired materials as those that imitate
or draw inspiration from natural objects or phenomena, aiming to harness specific
functionalities such as electrical, mechanical, biological, chemical, and sustainable gains.

The introduction highlights nature's role as a source of inspiration for various engineered
processes, algorithms, materials, and designs. The authors note that terms like
bioinspiration, biomimicry, biomimetics, nature inspiration, and nature mimicry are often
used interchangeably in the literature. They propose that "inspiration" refers to the initial
stage of observing a design or functionality in nature, while "mimetic" involves engineering
or manufacturing materials inspired by nature to exploit specific functionalities. "Mimicry"
represents the most advanced form, focusing on achieving sustainability through
engineering and technological tools.

The article discusses nature-inspired processes, which involve emulating natural processes
such as photosynthesis for energy conversion, self-cleaning surfaces inspired by plant
leaves, and biomineralization processes for ceramics. It also mentions other processes like
water purification inspired by plant roots and energy storage inspired by biochemical
energy storage and natural decomposition.

Nature-inspired designs are categorized into surface design and structural design. Surface
design involves modifying surface properties, such as wetting behavior, while structural
design aims to replicate natural structures to enhance material properties. Examples include
the use of nanostructured surfaces for solar absorber coatings and the replication of crystal
structure architectures in 3D-printed building blocks to achieve high damage tolerance.

The core focus of the article is on nature-inspired materials and their functionalities. The
authors classify these materials based on the type of gain they provide, which can be
electrical, biological, chemical, mechanical, sustainable, or a combination of gains.
Examples include hydrogels that convert chemical energy to electrical energy, bionic 3D
printed corals for efficient microalgal growth, and self-healing hydrogels for tissue repair.
The article also mentions research inspired by diatoms' hierarchical features for fabricating
functional materials and discusses the potential of materials inspired by spider silk
production, protein production, and natural decomposition.

Overall, the article presents a comprehensive overview of nature-inspired materials, their

applications, and the current trends in this field. It highlights the potential for developing
sustainable and functional materials by drawing inspiration from nature.