Page 33 - Biomimetics: Technology Imitates Nature

Harun Yahya

in construction. Thanks to cellulose, timber structures keep standing for
hundreds of years. Described as tension-bearing and matchless, cellulose
is used much more extensively than other building materials in buildings,
bridges, furniture and any number of items.
Because wood absorbs the energy from low-velocity impacts, it’s
highly effective at restricting damage to one specific location. In particu-
lar, damage is reduced the most when the impact occurs at right angles to
the direction of the grain. Diagnostic research has shown that different
types of wood exhibit different levels of resistance. One of the factors is
density, since denser woods absorb more energy during impact. The num-
ber of vessels in the wood, their size and distribution, are also important
factors in reducing impact deformation. 29

Right: Wood consists of tube-like
c: Fiber axis
fibers which give wood its resistant
properties. Molecule (<10Å) Monoclinic
Below right: Wood’s raw material, Micro fibers (20-200Å) unit cell
(10Å)
known as cellulose, possesses a com-
plicated chemical structure. If the
chemical bonds or atoms comprising
cellulose were different, then wood
Crystalline package with
wouldn’t be so strong and flexible. Plant cell walls irregular interface

1
2
Left: A structure modeled on wood for the mak-
ing of bullet-proof clothing. If wood had a differ-
ent structure, it could not possess such resilient
hardness.
1. Carefully placed fibers to imitate the spiral
winding of the tube walls in wood.
3 2. Resin reinforced with glass fibers.
3. Corrugated layer between flat plates.
4
4. Layers arranged to imitate the tube structure of
wood.
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