Date Thesis Awarded

5-2023

Access Type

Honors Thesis -- Open Access

Degree Name

Bachelors of Science (BS)

Department

Physics

Advisor

Hannes Schniepp

Committee Members

Jonathan Frey

Jeffery Nelson

Joshua Puzey

Abstract

Researchers have developed vessel-based self-healing materials using synthetic materials, placing vessels within structures in such a way as to achieve material strength and self-healing properties. The purpose of this research is to pursue the use of a biological material, coconut endocarp, as a matrix for vascular self-healing. The coconut endocarp, the inner most wood like layer of the coconut, offers advantages over synthetic materials in that it has an in situ vascular network throughout its structure and a material strength comparable to mild steel [1, 2, 3]. In addition its fracture toughness is orders of magnitude higher than human made porous materials like ceramics [4]. This work seeks to show how the coconut endocarp can be used as a proof of concept for how natural materials can be used to make vasculature self-healing materials sustainably, faster, and easier than other additive manufacturing methods. This opens the door for the use of other biological systems as substrates for self-healing

Recommended Citation

Sanders, Ben, "Priming Coconut Vasculature for Self-Healing Applications" (2023). Undergraduate Honors Theses. William & Mary. Paper 2028.
https://scholarworks.wm.edu/honorstheses/2028