In this conversation with Dr. Esther Amstad from EPFL in Switzerland, we talk about the field of bio-inspired materials and manufacturing. We chat about her labs development of hydrogels and elastomers, as well as the use cases for micro-fluidics. The discussion highlights potential applications of these materials in soft robotics and biomedical fields, and the importance of adapting our manufacturing and materials capabilities to meet industry where they are currently willing to go.

Takeaways

• Nature builds materials under energetically favorable conditions.
• We still struggle getting nature's performance with existing synthetic counterparts.
• Nature uses compartments to store liquid phase of materials, something we are still learning how to do.

• We have been seeking ways to combine toughness and fatigue resistance, with limited success.
• Natural materials are able to locally change composition for better properties, something we have yet to master.

Time Stamps

00:00 Introduction to Impossible Fibers

01:50 Exploring Nature's Materials

07:37 Applications of Hydrogels and Elastomers

10:47 Micro-fluidics in Material Science

12:12 Challenges in Polymer Toughness and Fatigue

14:12 Composite Materials and Their Potential

16:10 Manufacturing Processes and Innovations

19:16 Inspiration from Natural Materials