Bio-inspired nacre and helicoidal composites: From structure to mechanical applications

Researchers and engineers have been fascinated by the way weak organic and inorganic components naturally combine to create strong and long-lasting structures for the past few decades. The helicoidal fiberreinforced composite structure found in the cuticle that forms the skeleton of an arthropod and the nacre structure based on the brick-and-mortar architecture composing the inner layer of several mollusk shells are two of the most studied composite-based structures for drawing inspiration from and using the same to modify man-made materials. The structure, formation, and mechanical properties of the nacre-and cuticle-based bioinspired composites are given in detail. The current study also examines how brick-and-mortar and helicoidal laminated bioinspired composites are used structurally. The present review article will serve as a benchmark for future studies in the same area.