Mechanical adaptation of brachiopod shells via hydration-induced structural changes

Johannes Ihli (), Anna S. Schenk, Sabine Rosenfeldt, Klaus Wakonig, Mirko Holler, Giuseppe Falini, Luca Pasquini, Eugénia Delacou, Jim Buckman, Thomas S. Glen, Thomas Kress, Esther H. R. Tsai, David G. Reid, Melinda J. Duer, Maggie Cusack and Fabio Nudelman ()
Additional contact information
Johannes Ihli: Photon Science Division, Paul Scherrer Institut
Anna S. Schenk: University of Bayreuth, and Bavarian Polymer Institute, Universitaetsstrasse 30
Sabine Rosenfeldt: University of Bayreuth, and Bavarian Polymer Institute, Universitaetsstrasse 30
Klaus Wakonig: Photon Science Division, Paul Scherrer Institut
Mirko Holler: Photon Science Division, Paul Scherrer Institut
Giuseppe Falini: Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, via F. Selmi 2
Luca Pasquini: University of Bologna, viale Berti-Pichat 6/2
Eugénia Delacou: the University of Edinburgh, Joseph Black Building
Jim Buckman: Heriot-Watt University, Riccarton
Thomas S. Glen: University of Edinburgh
Thomas Kress: University of Cambridge
Esther H. R. Tsai: Brookhaven National Laboratory
David G. Reid: University of Cambridge
Melinda J. Duer: University of Cambridge
Maggie Cusack: Munster Technological University, Bishopstown, Cork, T12 P928 & Tralee, Kerry
Fabio Nudelman: the University of Edinburgh, Joseph Black Building

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract The function-optimized properties of biominerals arise from the hierarchical organization of primary building blocks. Alteration of properties in response to environmental stresses generally involves time-intensive processes of resorption and reprecipitation of mineral in the underlying organic scaffold. Here, we report that the load-bearing shells of the brachiopod Discinisca tenuis are an exception to this process. These shells can dynamically modulate their mechanical properties in response to a change in environment, switching from hard and stiff when dry to malleable when hydrated within minutes. Using ptychographic X-ray tomography, electron microscopy and spectroscopy, we describe their hierarchical structure and composition as a function of hydration to understand the structural motifs that generate this adaptability. Key is a complementary set of structural modifications, starting with the swelling of an organic matrix on the micron level via nanocrystal reorganization and ending in an intercalation process on the molecular level in response to hydration.

Date: 2021
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-25613-4 Abstract (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-021-25613-4

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-25613-4

Access Statistics for this article

Nature Communications is currently edited by Nathalie Le Bot, Enda Bergin and Fiona Gillespie

More articles in Nature Communications from Nature
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().