MicrostructureandStressintheBiologicalCompositeNacre.docVIP

Microstructure and Stress in the Biological Composite Nacre Alyssa J. Roessler Office of Science, Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship Program Duke University, Durham NC Stanford Linear Accelerator Center Menlo Park, California July 22, 2008 Prepared in partial fulfillment of the requirement of the Office of Science, Department of Energy’s Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship under the direction of Apurva Mehta in the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory division of the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center. Participant: ______________________________ Signature Research Advisor: ______________________________ Signature ABSTRACT [add abstract] INRODUCTION The mechanical properties of a material are directly influenced by the material composition and microstructure. Many of these properties—strength and toughness, for example—are extremely important in terms of material functionality and are of primary interest to materials scientists and engineers. In an effort to create new materials with improved mechanical properties, materials scientists have turned to nature and the many biological composites that exhibit unexpectedly high strength and toughness. Understanding the mechanisms through which biological composites are able to achieve such desirable macroscopic properties will allow us to imitate and even improve upon the materials and structural designs found in nature. In this paper, the biological composite nacre (commonly known as mother-of-pearl) is examined. Nacre has a very unique composite structure consisting of hexagonal platelets of the ceramic material aragonite (CaCO3) and a bonding material made of organic polymers. The ceramic platelets are in a brick-and-mortar like arrangement and are held together by the polymer, which is believed to act as an adhesive [4]. Typically, ceramic materials are very strong but are intolerant of material flaws and cracks, whereas polymers are very flaw-tolerant but have poor strength [1]. Nacre, howev