For millions of years, nature has refined its defence mechanisms—from a turtle’s shell to the iridescent layers inside seashells. These natural designs not only protect but also absorb and dissipate force, offering a blueprint that engineers are now using to create smart, adaptive materials. Leading the charge, Professor Shelly Zhang of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Professor Ole Sigmund of the Technical University of Denmark have developed a synthetic material inspired by nacre (mother-of-pearl) that responds dynamically under stress, promising safer car bumpers and enhanced personal protective equipment.
This innovative material stands apart because each layer is programmed to react differently depending on the force it encounters. Rather than mimicking passive natural layers, the design features layers that adjust in real time. As Professor Zhang puts it, “We realised that if each layer can be tuned to behave in a specific way, then together they can redirect and absorb impact more efficiently.” Even the usually unwelcome buckling effect is turned into a controlled mechanism that spreads out the force, allowing the material to absorb energy far more effectively than traditional designs.
The research team didn’t stop at assigning properties to individual layers—they also programmed the microscopic connections between them to act as an integrated system. This approach optimises the interaction of multilayered structures, ensuring that the material responds predictably to stress. When testing revealed some differences between the models and actual behaviour, the team saw it as an opportunity. By analysing these variations, they are now fine-tuning the sequence in which each microscopic cell buckles, ensuring the overall system works harmoniously under real-world conditions.
While bringing this material to large-scale production will require overcoming significant challenges, the study published in Science Advances offers a fresh perspective on how combining distinct material properties can lead to smarter, more resilient technology. If you’ve ever struggled with materials that simply can’t keep up with sudden impacts, this research suggests we’re a step closer to solutions that work as hard as you do.
