New material mimics nature to regulate temperature

Nature has inspired a new material that regulates its own temperature and could be used to treat burns or help spacecraft withstand atmospheric forces.

According to Dr Mark Alston, Assistant Professor in Environmental Design, from Nottingham University’s Faculty of Engineering, a major challenge in material science is to work out how to regulate the temperature of man-made materials as the human body does in relationship to its environment.

The research, published in the Scientific Reports, is said to have used a network of multiple microchannels with active flowing fluids (fluidics) as a method and proof of concept to develop a thermally-functional material made of a synthetic polymer that switches conductive states to manage its own temperature in relationship to its environment.

"This bio-inspired engineering approach advances the structural assembly of polymers for use in advanced materials,” said Dr Alston. “Nature uses fluidics to regulate and manage temperature in mammals and in plants to absorb solar radiation through photosynthesis and this research used a leaf-like model to mimic this function in the polymer.