Nanotwin-governed toughening mechanism in hierarchically structured biological materials

Yoon Ah Shin, Sheng Yin, Xiaoyan Li (), Subin Lee, Sungmin Moon, Jiwon Jeong, Minhyug Kwon, Seung Jo Yoo, Young-Min Kim, Teng Zhang, Huajian Gao () and Sang Ho Oh ()
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Yoon Ah Shin: Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH)
Sheng Yin: School of Engineering, Brown University
Xiaoyan Li: School of Engineering, Brown University
Subin Lee: Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH)
Sungmin Moon: Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH)
Jiwon Jeong: Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH)
Minhyug Kwon: Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH)
Seung Jo Yoo: Nano-Bio Electron Microscopy Research Group, Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI)
Young-Min Kim: IBS Center for Integrated Nanostructure Physics (CINAP), Institute for Basic Science, Sungkyunkwan University
Teng Zhang: School of Engineering, Brown University
Huajian Gao: School of Engineering, Brown University
Sang Ho Oh: Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH)

Nature Communications, 2016, vol. 7, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract As a natural biocomposite, Strombus gigas, commonly known as the giant pink queen conch shell, exhibits outstanding mechanical properties, especially a high fracture toughness. It is known that the basic building block of conch shell contains a high density of growth twins with average thickness of several nanometres, but their effects on the mechanical properties of the shell remain mysterious. Here we reveal a toughening mechanism governed by nanoscale twins in the conch shell. A combination of in situ fracture experiments inside a transmission electron microscope, large-scale atomistic simulations and finite element modelling show that the twin boundaries can effectively block crack propagation by inducing phase transformation and delocalization of deformation around the crack tip. This mechanism leads to an increase in fracture energy of the basic building block by one order of magnitude, and contributes significantly to that of the overall structure via structural hierarchy.

Date: 2016
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms10772

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