Method and Processes for Abstraction of Natural Microstructures for New Product Development

In nature, we find a myriad of biological structures that serve various functions. For instance, fruit peels act as natural packaging, playing roles in protection, enclosure, transportation, and storage. Over millions of years, diverse cellular arrangements have evolved to achieve high structural efficiency. These structures offer direct and indirect protection against mechanical damage and other negative environmental influences, providing collision resistance, damping, and energy dissipation. Biomimicry is an interdisciplinary approach that combines the study of biology with technology and other innovative disciplines, such as design, to solve technical challenges by analyzing functions and strategies found in biological systems. The aim of this research was to study the natural cellular arrangements found in tropical fruits, with the purpose of abstracting and prototyping a bioinspired structure noninvasively. For the initial exploration, optical microscopy was used to identify the cell types present in the pericarp. With the aid of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the cryo-fracture method, it was possible to observe plant morphology and anatomy. Noninvasive structural observation, material analysis, and three-dimensional reconstruction were achieved using X-ray microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) and software, enabling the abstraction of the natural structure. As a result, this study culminated in the three-dimensional prototyping of a bioinspired structure using 3D printing with flexible resin, incorporating visible properties abstracted from the studied biological entity. The abstraction of natural structures, such as those found in tropical fruits, offers a promising path for the development of new materials and products that are not only functionally superior but also in line with sustainability principles.