Chinese scientists are developing a new aluminum material modeled after eggshells to better protect spacecraft from increasing space debris. The research builds on earlier work demonstrating the rigidity of eggshell geometry.
In 2007, space debris created a bullet-like hole in the radiator panel of the US space shuttle Endeavor. With the growth of satellite constellations, telescopes, and spacecraft launches, the problem of space debris has intensified. To address this, Chinese scientists have created a new aluminum material inspired by the structure of eggshells, as detailed in a recent paper published in the Journal of Applied Physics.
Eggshells have long been of interest to scientists due to their mechanical properties. Pedro Reis, a mechanical engineer at MIT, co-authored a 2012 paper linking an egg’s ovoid shape to its rigidity – a key factor in determining how much force an object can withstand before cracking. Reis initially began studying eggshells after observing a physics demonstration involving walking on cartons of eggs. He found that aligning the eggs with their narrow tips upwards and distributing weight evenly prevented breakage.
According to Reis, it takes around 5.5 pounds of force to crack an egg, but this depends on the direction and distribution of the force applied to the shell’s surface.
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