Sheep Horns To Car Bumpers: Researchers Explore New Composite
Patil said testing had recorded an impact strength of around 276 kilojoules per square metre (kJ/m²), which he said was well above the typical range reported for conventional carbon-fibre/epoxy composites and within the range of advanced impact-resistant composites. The effort to move the material beyond the laboratory is also receiving support under All India Council for Technical Education’s (AICTE) RPS-2025 Lab to Market programme.
“We are looking at sheep horn not as a waste material, but as a naturally engineered, high-impact material for sustainable composites,” said Arun Y Patil, assistant director–innovation and entrepreneurship at MAHE Bengaluru, and corresponding author of the research. Patil said funding was specifically intended to explore whether the composite could replace acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), a widely used plastic, in automotive bumpers. Bengaluru : Sheep horns, tortoise shells, bamboo and walnut shells could offer clues to making vehicles safer and lighter. Researchers are exploring how structures found in nature can help develop impact-resistant materials for car components, including bumpers, and potentially for electric vehicles (EVs) and aerospace applications.
In a 2022 study published in the journal Biomimetics, Patil and colleagues examined seven nature-inspired models for automotive impact resistance under compressive loading. Impact strength measures how much energy a material can absorb when struck before it breaks. It is important in applications such as vehicle bumpers, which must withstand impacts, and in components where reducing weight without compromising performance is a priority. The structures drew on examples including Rudraksha, bamboo, sheep horn, tortoise shell and walnut. The study suggests nature can offer ideas not only for choosing materials but also for shaping them. A structure’s internal arrangement can influence how it bears force, deforms and withstands repeated loading. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Bengaluru | Silver Rate in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru | Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Petrol Price in Bengaluru | Diesel Price in Bengaluru | CNG Price in Bengaluru | LPG Price in Bengaluru
Patil earlier worked on designs inspired by structures found in nature.