Bionics Make Composites Safer

Lightweight construction Bionics Make Composites Safer

2026-08-03 Source: Hochschule Bremen | Translated by AI 2 min Reading Time

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Researchers have developed a bionic composite structure inspired by the mantis shrimp. Honeycomb structures with a gradual fiber angle absorbed more than four times as much energy in compression tests as comparable structures with a constant fiber angle.

Bionically inspired honeycomb structures with gradually arranged fiber angles made from regenerated cellulose fibers. These lightweight structures could contribute to more sustainable safety components in the future.(Source: © HSB - AG Biologische Werkstoffe) — Bionically inspired honeycomb structures with gradually arranged fiber angles made from regenerated cellulose fibers. These lightweight structures could contribute to more sustainable safety components in the future.
(Source: © HSB - AG Biologische Werkstoffe)

How can lightweight structures be designed to absorb more energy during an impact? Researchers from the University of Applied Sciences Bremen (HSB) (Germany) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials (IFAM) have developed a bionic composite structure whose fiber alignment is inspired by biological models.
The results of the study were published in the Journal of Bionic Engineering. They show that a gradually varying fiber angle across the structure can significantly increase the mass-specific energy absorption compared to similar structures with a constant fiber angle.

Inspired by the Mantis Shrimp

One example used as a model was the so-called dactyl club complex of the mantis shrimp (Odontodactylus scyllarus). The researchers transferred its natural structure to fiber-reinforced composite materials using the bionic techno-pull principle:

Material: The developed honeycomb structures are made of regenerated cellulose fibers and epoxy resin.
Failure behavior: In compression tests, the structures deformed in a controlled and gradual manner, rather than failing abruptly like conventional structures.
Energy absorption: They achieved more than four times the mass-specific energy absorption compared to reference structures with a constant fiber angle.
Application potential: The approach is therefore suitable for energy-absorbing lightweight components, especially in the mobility sector.

What is Techno-Pull?

The term Techno-Pull (often referred to as "Technology Pull" or "Top-down approach") describes a strategic method in bionics where a specific technical problem serves as the starting point for research. Engineers face a design or functional challenge and specifically look to nature for biological models that have evolved to solve similar problems. The process thus moves from technology to biology: the existing problem is abstracted, analyzed in biological databases or in nature, and the discovered principle is then translated into an innovative technical solution.

The combination of bionics and modern materials research opens new paths for innovative and sustainable lightweight structures. Nature provides us with solutions optimized over millions of years, which we can specifically transfer to technical applications.

Professor Dr. Jörg Müssig from the Biomimetics-Innovation-Centre at the City University of Applied Sciences Bremen

Publication
Middendorf, O., Kelch, M., & Müssig, J. (2026): Biomimetic Composite Structures with Fibre Angle Gradients: Enhancing Energy Absorption via Progressive Failure. Journal of Bionic Engineering, 23, 2389–2400. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42235-026-00926-6

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