3D-printed bioinspired Al₂O₃/polyurea dual-phase architecture with high robustness, energy absorption, and cyclic life

Ceramics are attractive for structural components because of their excellent load-bearing capacity. Nevertheless, inferior energy-absorbing ability and poor reliability under common quasi-static and dynamic environments, especially under cyclic loading, extremely limit the popularization of ceramic components. The coupling between cellular structures inspired by the light but strong porous trabeculae and core–shell structure in strong and tough natural materials provides a solution for strengthening the load-bearing capacity, energy absorption ability, and cyclic life of ceramic components. Here, we proposed a bioinspired cellular ceramic structure/polyurea (CCS/polyurea) dual-phase architecture via additive manufacturing and simple infiltration technologies. It was demonstrated that the specific load-bearing capacity and energy-absorbing ability of bioinspired CCS/polyurea dual-phase architecture under quasi-static compressive loading were 2.22 and 50.34 times of CCS, respectively. Significantly, it could be repeatedly loaded at 40.28 and 48.82 MPa for over 120 and 8 cycles, respectively. Furthermore, CCS/polyurea dual-phase architecture performed extraordinary cyclic life under dynamic loading. The cyclic lives of CCS/polyurea dual-phase architecture at impact speeds of ∼ 6 and ∼ 12 m/s reached as high as 11 and 2, respectively. This research provides a credible approach to building ceramic-based materials with extraordinary load-bearing capacity, energy absorption ability, and especially remarkable cyclic life.