Revealing Diatom-Inspired Materials Multifunctionality

Diatoms have been described as "nanometer-born lithographers" because of their ability to create sophisticated 3D amorphous silica exoskeletons. The hierarchical architecture of these structures provides diatoms with mechanical protection and the ability to filter, float, and manipulate light. Therefore, they emerge as an extraordinary model of multifunctional materials from which to draw inspiration. In this paper, numerical simulations, analytical models, and experimental tests are used to unveil the structural and fluid dynamic efficiency of the Coscinodiscus species diatom. Then a novel 3D printable multifunctional biomimetic material is proposed for applications such as porous filters, heat exchangers, drug delivery systems, lightweight structures, and robotics. The results demonstrate Nature's role as a materials designer for efficient and tunable systems and highlight the potential of diatoms for engineering materials innovation. Additionally, this paper lays the foundation to extend the structure-property characterization of diatoms.