Nature-Inspired Mimic of Tree Xylem

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K14140
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Composite materials/Surface and interface engineering
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Nishihara Hirotomo 東北大学, 多元物質科学研究所, 准教授 (80400430)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): KYOTANI TAKASHI 東北大学, 多元物質科学研究所, 教授 (90153238)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: セルロースナノファイバー / ハニカム / 木部 / バイオミメティクス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Xylem of coniferous trees has well-ordered micro-honeycomb structures, and this makes wood a light and tough material. In this work, we have successfully fabricated a similar micro-honeycomb structure from cellulose which is the main component of natural trees. While in natural xylem honeycomb pores are blocked, the artificial xylem prepared has penetrating pores, thereby allowing fluid flow with very low pressure drop. Another advantage of the artificial xylem is its chemical controllability. We succeeded to prepare a variety of artificial xylem with different functions by changing the chemical properties of the honeycomb walls.

Free Research Field

材料化学