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Bio-inspired Murray materials for mass transfer and activity

Author

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  • Xianfeng Zheng

    (State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology
    Present address: School of Chemical Engineering and AIBN, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia)

  • Guofang Shen

    (State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology)

  • Chao Wang

    (State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology)

  • Yu Li

    (State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology)

  • Darren Dunphy

    (NSF/UNM Center for Micro-Engineered Materials, The University of New Mexico)

  • Tawfique Hasan

    (Cambridge Graphene Centre, University of Cambridge)

  • C. Jeffrey Brinker

    (NSF/UNM Center for Micro-Engineered Materials, The University of New Mexico
    Advanced Materials Lab, Sandia National Laboratories)

  • Bao-Lian Su

    (State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology
    Laboratory of Inorganic Materials Chemistry, University of Namur
    Clare Hall, University of Cambridge)

Abstract

Both plants and animals possess analogous tissues containing hierarchical networks of pores, with pore size ratios that have evolved to maximize mass transport and rates of reactions. The underlying physical principles of this optimized hierarchical design are embodied in Murray’s law. However, we are yet to realize the benefit of mimicking nature’s Murray networks in synthetic materials due to the challenges in fabricating vascularized structures. Here we emulate optimum natural systems following Murray’s law using a bottom-up approach. Such bio-inspired materials, whose pore sizes decrease across multiple scales and finally terminate in size-invariant units like plant stems, leaf veins and vascular and respiratory systems provide hierarchical branching and precise diameter ratios for connecting multi-scale pores from macro to micro levels. Our Murray material mimics enable highly enhanced mass exchange and transfer in liquid–solid, gas–solid and electrochemical reactions and exhibit enhanced performance in photocatalysis, gas sensing and as Li-ion battery electrodes.

Suggested Citation

  • Xianfeng Zheng & Guofang Shen & Chao Wang & Yu Li & Darren Dunphy & Tawfique Hasan & C. Jeffrey Brinker & Bao-Lian Su, 2017. "Bio-inspired Murray materials for mass transfer and activity," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-9, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:8:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms14921
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14921
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    Cited by:

    1. Binghan Zhou & Qian Cheng & Zhuo Chen & Zesheng Chen & Dongfang Liang & Eric Anthony Munro & Guolin Yun & Yoshiki Kawai & Jinrui Chen & Tynee Bhowmick & Karthick Kannan Padmanathan & Luigi Giuseppe Oc, 2024. "Universal Murray’s law for optimised fluid transport in synthetic structures," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. He, Ziqiang & Yan, Yunfei & Zhang, Zhien, 2021. "Thermal management and temperature uniformity enhancement of electronic devices by micro heat sinks: A review," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 216(C).

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