About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2026 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Biological Materials Science
|
| Presentation Title |
Micromechanics and Patterning in Growing Plant Cell Wall for Bioinspired Design and Manufacturing |
| Author(s) |
Anamika Prasad |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Anamika Prasad |
| Abstract Scope |
Nature has provided much inspiration for designing bio-inspired, efficient composites. While rigid natural materials such as bone and wood have been widely studied, the flexible architecture of plant cell walls remains underexplored. Our research focuses on the fibrous, multilayered structure of xylem cell walls of sunflowers to gain insights into cell wall mechanics for applications in design and manufacturing. The talk will highlight our recent developments in this area, where we have employed a combination of experimental techniques (Raman spectroscopy, Nanoindentation, and Scanning Electron Microscopy) to elucidate the growing structure and pectin-cellulose interactions. These findings have informed computational models via finite element analysis and molecular dynamics. We also applied electrospinning and freeze-drying techniques to translate these biological principles into engineered materials for applications such as helical cardiac patches. This work not only deepens our understanding of plant cell wall micromechanics but also informs applications across tissue engineering and precision agriculture. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Biomaterials, Mechanical Properties, Composites |