Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dsjbd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T10:31:56.683Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Mechanical properties of nacre constituents and their impact on mechanical performance

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2006

François Barthelat ,
Chun-Ming Li ,
Claudia Comi  and
Horacio D. Espinosa
François Barthelat
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208-3111
Chun-Ming Li
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208-3111
Claudia Comi
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208-3111
Horacio D. Espinosa*
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208-3111
*
b)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

The mechanical properties of nacre constituents from red abalone were investigated. Electron microscopy studies revealed that the tablets are composed of single-crystal aragonite with nanograin inclusions. Both nanoasperities and aragonite bridges are present within the interfaces between the tablets. By means of nanoindentation and axial compression tests, we identified single tablet elastic and inelastic properties. The elastic properties are very similar to those of single-crystal aragonite. However, their strength is higher than previously reported values for aragonite. A finite element model of the interface accounting for nanoasperities and the identified properties revealed that the nanoasperities are strong enough to withstand climbing and resist tablet sliding, at least over the initial stages of deformation. Furthermore, it was observed that the model over-predicts strength and under-predicts ductility. Therefore, we conclude that other interface features must be responsible for the enhanced performance of nacre over its constituents.

Keywords

BiologicalCompositeElastic properties
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 21 , Issue 8 , August 2006 , pp. 1977 - 1986
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2006

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1.Sarikaya, M., Aksay, I.A. Biomimetics, design and processing of materials, in Polymers and Complex Materials edited by Sarikaya, M. and Aksay, I., (AIP, Woodbury, NY, 1995).Google Scholar
2.Mayer, G.: Rigid biological systems as models for synthetic composites. Science 310, 1144 (2005).Google Scholar
3.Feng, Q.L., Cui, F.Z., Pu, G., Wang, R.Z., Li, H.D.: Crystal orientation, toughening mechanisms and a mimic of nacre. Mater. Sci. Eng., C—Biomimetic Supramolecular Syst. 11, 19 (2000).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4.DiMasi, E., Sarikaya, M.: Synchrotron x-ray microbeam diffraction from abalone shell. J. Mater. Res. 19, 1471 (2004).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5.Li, X.D., Chang, W.C., Chao, Y.J., Wang, R.Z., Chang, M.: Nanoscale structural and mechanical characterization of a natural nanocomposite material: The shell of red abalone. Nano Lett. 4, 613 (2004).Google Scholar
6.Belcher, A.M., Wu, X.H., Christensen, R.J., Hansma, P.K., Stucky, G.D., Morse, D.E.: Control of crystal phase switching and orientation by soluble mollusc-shell proteins. Nature 381, 56 (1996).Google Scholar
7.Currey, J.D.: Mechanical properties of mother of pearl in tension. Proc. R. Soc. London 196, 443 (1977).Google Scholar
8.Jackson, A.P., Vincent, J.F.V., Turner, R.M.: The mechanical design of nacre. Proc. R. Soc. London 234, 415 (1988).Google Scholar
9.Wang, R.Z., Wen, H.B., Cui, F.Z., Zhang, H.B., Li, H.D.: Observations of damage morphologies in nacre during deformation and fracture. J. Mater. Sci. 30, 2299 (1995).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
10.Wang, R.Z., Suo, Z., Evans, A.G., Yao, N., Aksay, I.A.: Deformation mechanisms in nacre. J. Mater. Res. 16, 2485 (2001).Google Scholar
11.Menig, R., Meyers, M.H., Meyers, M.A., Vecchio, K.S.: Quasi-static and dynamic mechanical response of haliotis rufescens (abalone) shells. Acta Mater. 48, 2383 (2000).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
12.Katti, D.R., Katti, K.S., Sopp, J.M., Sarikaya, M.: 3D finite element modeling of mechanical response in nacre-based hybrid nanocomposites. Comp. Theor. Polym. Sci. 11, 397 (2001).Google Scholar
13.Oliver, W.C., Pharr, G.M.: An improved technique for determining hardness and elastic-modulus using load and displacement sensing indentation experiments. J. Mater. Res. 7, 1564 (1992).Google Scholar
14.Bruet, J.F., Qi, H.J., Boyce, M.C., Panas, R., Tai, K., Frick, L., Ortiz, C.: Nanoscale morphology and indentation of individual nacre tablets from the gastropod mollusc Trochus niloticus. J. Mater. Res. 20, 2400 (2005).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
15.Smith, B.L., Schaeffer, T.E., Viani, M., Thompson, J.B., Frederick, N.A., Kindt, J., Belcher, A., Stucky, G.D., Morse, D.E., Hansma, P.K.: Molecular mechanistic origin of the toughness of natural adhesives, fibres and composites. Nature 399, 761 (1999).Google Scholar
16.Evans, A.G., Suo, Z., Wang, R.Z., Aksay, I.A., He, M.Y., Hutchinson, J.W.: A model for the robust mechanical behavior of nacre. J. Mater. Res. 16, 2475 (2001).Google Scholar
17.Okumura, K., de Gennes, P.G.: Why is nacre strong? Elastic theory and fracture mechanics for biocomposites with stratified structures. Eur. Phys. J. E. 4, 121 (2001).Google Scholar
18.Barthelat, F. and Espinosa, H.D.: Mechanical properties of nacre constituents: An inverse method approach, in Mechanical Properties of Bioinspired and Biological Materials edited by Viney, C., Katti, K., Ulm, F-J., and Hellmich, C. (Mater. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. 844 Warrendale, PA, 2005), Y7.5.Google Scholar
19.Schaffer, T.E., Zanetti, C.I., Proksch, R., Fritz, M., Walters, D.A., Almqvist, N., Zaremba, C.M., Belcher, A.M., Smith, B.L., Stucky, G.D., Morse, D.E., Hansma, P.K.: Does abalone nacre form by heteroepitaxial nucleation or by growth through mineral bridges? Chem. Mater. 9, 1731 (1997).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
20.Song, F., Soh, A.K., Bai, Y.L.: Structural and mechanical properties of the organic matrix layers of nacre. Biomaterials 24, 3623 (2003).Google Scholar
21.Lawn, B.R.: Fracture of Brittle Solids 2nd ed. (Cambridge University Press, New York, 1993), pp. 282–295.Google Scholar
22.Fleck, N.A., Hutchinson, J.W.: A phenomenological theory for strain gradient effects in plasticity. J. Mech. Phys. Solids. 41, 1825 (1993).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
23.Saha, R., Nix, W.D.: Effects of the substrate on the determination of thin film mechanical properties by nanoindentation. Acta Mater. 50, 23 (2002).Google Scholar
24.Bhushan, B., Li, X.D.: Nanomechanical characterisation of solid surfaces and thin films. Int. Mater. Rev. 48, 125 (2003).Google Scholar
25.Hearmon, F.S.: The elastic constants of anisotropic materials. Rev. Mod. Phys. 18, 409 (1946).Google Scholar
26.Levy, M., Bass, H., Stern, R.: Handbook of Elastic Properties of Solids, Liquids and Gases (Elsevier, San Diego, CA, 2001).Google Scholar
27.Han, Y.H., Li, H., Wong, T.Y., Bradt, R.C.: Knoop microhardness anisotropy of single-crystal aragonite. J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 74, 3129 (1991).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
28.Gao, H.J., Ji, B.H., Jager, I.L., Arzt, E., Fratzl, P.: Materials become insensitive to flaws at nanoscale: Lessons from nature. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 100, 5597 (2003).Google Scholar