Research and Development

Cellular Materials

 

The three possible types of binders of KeraPearls®

 

Bionics (biology + technology) assumes that on the path of evolution, natural products are far more advanced than technological products, and therefore superior. Bionics is the scientific approach of learning from nature for technology. The goal is the perfecting of the technology, with nature as model. Here the focus is on the wonders of living nature.

 

Even though technology imitated the “patents of living nature” early on, until now, lifeless nature has been the actual model for technological materials. Materials of living nature, such as wood, were increasingly replaced by inorganic materials such as steel, aluminum or even concrete. Polymers (plastics) were the first synthetic materials which deviated from the basic patterns of the materials of lifeless nature, and which made use of the building principles of living nature, which are modular and prefer very large molecules and the cells which are built on them as basic components.

 

Now, with kerapearls® materials and, from them, products can be conceived which can come a good deal closer to the performance of the materials and products of living nature. Cellular components are the preferred basic module in living nature, both in plants as well as in humans and animals. They are simple basic modules of the highest perfection. Living nature has done its most impressive work through intelligent interaction of different cell cores, cell walls, cells and united cell structures. Here ductile (elastic) and brittle cell structures of the basic module together fulfill the tasks of the composite modules which build on them, and achieve, when necessary, very lightweight forms of the highest perfection and capability, such as e.g. butterfly wings. In innovative materials, kerapearls® assume the function of dimensionally stable, pressure resistant and light cells, and of united cell structures (analogous to bones).

The beneficial characteristics of a brittle united cell structure can be largely copied in technology by kerapearls®, and in some cases even surpassed.

 

 

 

close matrix

 
Example: kerapearls® granules of mineral foam cells in a closed binders matrix
 

lightweight aggregate matrix

 

 

 
Example: kerapearls® granules of mineral foam cells in a matrix of bridges of binders
 

 

foam structured matrix

 
Example: kerapearl® granules of mineral foam cells in a foam matrix
 

 

 
Keraplus® in polyamide matrix
 

 

 

 

 

 
KeraBims® in aluminum matrix
 

 

 

 
Keralite® in PU foam matrix
 

 

 
 
Kerabims® in mineral matrix