Fiber-continuous panel-pillar structure in insect cuticle and biomimetic research

Scanning electron microscope (SEM) observation shows that the cuticle of Dorcus titanus is a kind of natural sandwich structure consisting of upper and lower panels and middle pillars. The fiber layers in the sandwich structure continuously join the panels and the pillars to form a fiber-continuous panel-pillar sandwich structure. Model analyses indicate that the fiber-continuous panel-pillar structure has higher ultimate strength compared to that of the non-fiber-continuous panel-pillar structure. The composite with the fiber-continuous panel-pillar structure is biomimetically fabricated. The ultimate strength of the structure is tested and compared with that of the non-fiber-continuous panel-pillar structure. It is denoted that the ultimate strength of the fiber-continuous panel-pillar structure is distinctly higher than that of the non-fiber-continuous panel-pillar structure.168