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Nanomechanical Properties of a Biocomposite, Mollusk Shell Nacre

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 July 2020

William N. Mercer ,
J. M. Sopp ,
H. Fong ,
K. S. Katti ,
D. R. Katti  and
M. Sarikaya
William N. Mercer
Affiliation:
Materials Science & Eng., Box: 352120, University of Washington, Seattle, WA98195, USA
J. M. Sopp
Affiliation:
Materials Science & Eng., Box: 352120, University of Washington, Seattle, WA98195, USA
H. Fong
Affiliation:
Materials Science & Eng., Box: 352120, University of Washington, Seattle, WA98195, USA
K. S. Katti
Affiliation:
Civil Eng., North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND58105, USA
D. R. Katti
Affiliation:
Materials Science & Eng., Box: 352120, University of Washington, Seattle, WA98195, USA
M. Sarikaya
Affiliation:
Materials Science & Eng., Box: 352120, University of Washington, Seattle, WA98195, USA
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Extract

Mechanical properties of the structural elements of mollusk hard tissues were determined using nanoindentation techniques. Red abalone (Haliotis refuscens) has a dual laminate ceramic/polymer biocomposite, evolved for protection against impact. The nacre (mother-of-pearl) section of the shell has excellent bending strength (180 MPa) and fracture toughness (12 MPa m1/2), orders of magnitude stronger and tougher than monolithic CaCO3, it's primary component. The outer prismatic structure is comprised of columnar calcite (rhombohedral CaCO3) crystallites oriented normal to the shell surface and the inner nacreous structure consists of layers of pseudo-hexagonal shaped aragonite (orthorhombic CaCO3) platelets arranged in a brick and mortar microarchitecture (Fig. 1). The platelets (0.25 μm thick and 5 μm edge length) are surrounded by a thin layer (10-25 nm) of organic phase within and between the individual layers. This sub-um layered structure results in excellent bulk properties, not present in man-made composites of similar phase composition.

Type
Biological Structure (Cells, Tissues, Organ Systems)
Information
Microscopy and Microanalysis , Volume 6 , Issue S2: Proceedings: Microscopy & Microanalysis 2000, Microscopy Society of America 58th Annual Meeting, Microbeam Analysis Society 34th Annual Meeting, Microscopical Society of Canada/Societe de Microscopie de Canada 27th Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania August 13-17, 2000 , August 2000 , pp. 898 - 899
Copyright
Copyright © Microscopy Society of America

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