@article{Hu2026, 
author = {Yang Hu and Jun Lu and Dewei Ni and Bowen Chen and Feiyan Cai and Yanmei Kan and Yusheng Ding and Shaoming Dong},
title = {Bioinspired Bouligand structure for the synergistic enhancement of mechanical and thermal properties in 3D-printed Csf/ZrB2-SiC composites},
year = {2026},
journal = {Journal of Advanced Ceramics},
volume = {15},
number = {2},
pages = {9221232},
keywords = {bioinspired Bouligand structure, short fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composites, 3D printing, structure optimization, mechanical and thermal properties},
url = {https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.26599/JAC.2025.9221232},
doi = {10.26599/JAC.2025.9221232},
abstract = {Short carbon fiber reinforced ultrahigh temperature ceramic matrix composites (Csf/UHTCMCs) are recognized as leading candidates for thermal structures owing to their precisely tailorable composition and enhanced tunability in structure and properties. Inspired by nature, the Bouligand structure—characterized by a gradual angular rotation between successive layers—exhibits remarkable load-bearing and thermal conductive capacity. In this study, the Bouligand structure was introduced into Csf/ZrB2-SiC by employing direct ink writing technology. The results indicate that the composite with a 30° interlayer Bouligand structure achieves a synergistic improvement in both mechanical performance and thermal diffusion uniformity. Specifically, enhancements of 42% in flexural strength and 35% in fracture toughness were achieved compared to conventional Csf/ZrB2-SiC. Meanwhile, the Z-axis thermal conductivity increased by 24.5%, along with a notable enhancement of in-plane thermal diffusion. These improvements can be attributed to the smaller deflection angles and more frequent unidirectional deflections within the 30° Bouligand structure, which promote more pronounced crack deflection. Furthermore, the small-angle rotational design improves in-plane thermal diffusion uniformity by leveraging the high intrinsic radial thermal conductivity of short carbon fibers. Hence, the bioinspired Bouligand structure design offers a promising strategy for the synergistic optimization of mechanical and thermal properties in Csf/UHTCMCs.}
}