Bioinspired materials with self-regulating mechanical properties upon loading/damages

Nature produces outstanding materials for structural applications such as bones and coral reefs that can adapt to their surrounding environment and repair damages. This leads to the formation of mechanically efficient structures for optimal biomechanical and energy-efficient performance and long-term durability. However, it has been a challenge for synthetic materials to change and adapt their structures and properties to address the changes of loading conditions or damages. To address the challenge, we report a bioinspired material system that triggers mineral synthesis from ionic solutions on organic scaffolds upon mechanical loadings and/or damages so that it can self-adapt to mechanical loadings and regenerate upon damages. The mechanism also allows the formation of functionally graded materials using a simple one step process. We envision that our findings can open new strategies for making synthetic materials with self-regulating mechanical properties.