A research team from the Department of Mechanical, Energy, Management and Transport Engineering (DIME) at the University of Genoa has developed a new composite material inspired by the architecture of bone, which is more resistant to damage and designed to facilitate the reuse of its components.

The new composite has demonstrated the ability to absorb 95 per cent more energy before failure than an equivalent conventional laminate.

The research also introduces an innovative approach to material circularity: after the components have been separated, the reinforcing units retain a geometry, alignment and mechanical properties comparable to those of the original and can be reused directly to assemble a new composite.

The study, coordinated by Flavia Libonati, a lecturer in Mechanical Design and Machine Construction at the University of Genoa, was published in the scientific journal Advanced Functional Materials.

Further details can be found in the university magazine.