Kisailus’s Research Recognized for Impact

David Kisailus is acknowledged by Wiley publishing for having one of the top downloaded papers in Advanced Materials.

May 22, 2020 - David Kisailus, professor of materials science and engineering, recently received a Certificate of Achievement from Wiley publishing for having one of the top downloaded papers in Advanced Materials from January 2018 through December 2019.

Kisailus’s paper, “Multiscale Toughening Mechanisms in Biological Materials and Bioinspired Designs, was among the top 10 percent most downloaded in the peer-reviewed materials sciences weekly journal. One of the main aspects of his research focuses on the investigation of biological materials with extreme mechanical, thermal and optical properties and translating design elements to engineered materials. In this work, Kisailus and his team examined the architectural features of tough and damage-tolerant biological materials such as nacre and bone, at the atomic, nano-, micro- and macroscales, to propose biomimetic designs that realize multiscale toughening mechanisms in engineered materials. Such materials could be used for lightweight aircraft, automobiles, sports equipment and more.

Kisailus explains that engineers have strived for centuries to develop designs for many different applications. Nature has been doing the same for millions of years, so why not look to the experts for guidance? “This research area is incredibly fruitful and rewarding, and my students are excited and engaged since they know biomimicry will continue to provide insights for many of our societal needs,” he said.

– Lori Brandt