Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-v5vhk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-24T19:45:10.754Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Mechanical Properties of the Lobster Cuticle

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

D. Raabe  and
C. Sachs
D. Raabe
Affiliation:
Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung, Max-Planck-Str. 1, 40237 Düsseldorf, Germany
C. Sachs
Affiliation:
Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung, Max-Planck-Str. 1, 40237 Düsseldorf, Germany
Get access

Abstract

We present experiments on the mechanical and structural gradients through the cuticle of homarus americanus (lobster). The exocuticle (outer layer) is characterized by a very fine woven structure of the chitin-protein matrix (Bouligand structure) and by a high stiffness (8.5–9.5 GPa). The hardness increases within the exocuticle between the surface region (130 MPa) and the region close to the interface to the endocuticle (270 MPa). In the endocuticle which is characterized by a much coarser twisted plywood (Bouligand) structure both, the stiffness (3–4.5 GPa) and hardness (30–55 MPa) are much smaller than in the exocuticle. The transition in mechanical properties and structure between the exo- and endocuticle is abrupt.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 874: Symposium l – Structure and Mechanical Behavior of Biological Materials , 2005 , L5.3
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2005

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

1. Hadley, NF., Sci Am 1986; 255:98–106.Google Scholar
2. Vincent, JFV., Composites: Part A 33 (2002) p. 1311–1315.Google Scholar
3. Weiner, S, Addadi, L, J Mater Chem 1997; 7:689.Google Scholar
4. Bouligand, Y., Tissue Cell. 1972; 4: 189.Google Scholar
5. Giraud-Guille, MM, Tissue Cell 1984; 16: 75.Google Scholar
6. Giraud-Guille, MM., Current Opinion in Solid State & Material Science, 1998; 3: 221.Google Scholar
7. Weiner, S, Arad, T, Traub, W., FEBS Lett. 1991; 285:49–54.Google Scholar
8. Weiner, S, Arad, T, Sabanay, I, Traub, W., Bone 1997; 20: 509–514.Google Scholar
9. Weiner, S, Wagner, HD., Annu. Rev. Mater. Sci. 1998; 28:271–298.Google Scholar
10. Raabe, D, Al-Sawalmih, A, Romano, P, Sachs, C, Brokmeier, HG, Yi, SB, Servos, G, Hartwig, HG: Proc 14th Intern Conf Textures of Materials ICOTOM 14, 2005, Leuven, Belgium, Materials Science Forum, in press.Google Scholar
11. Gibson, LJ, Ashby, MF, Cellular solids–structure and properties, 2nd edition, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1997.Google Scholar