Outlook

Abstract

In this book, we discussed theoretical foundations and practical principles of design of novel materials with the ability for self-organization, namely, self-healing, self-lubricating, and self-cleaning materials. These materials are biomimetic, i.e., they are inspired by materials in living nature. In the theoretical analysis, our emphasis was on thermodynamic description of these materials, since nonequilibrium thermodynamic has provided a basis for the study of pattern formation and self-organization. Our purpose was to develop theoretical models, which could be useful for better understanding of structure–property relationships in these smart materials and could serve as a guide for their design and, in a sense, to bridge the gap between the theories of self-organization, which have been developed decades ago, and current experiment-driven research of modern materials. In the practical realization, our focus was on the metallic and, in particular, metal matrix composite materials.