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Scientist exposing beak of Humboldt squid / The Monterey.. / License
The beaks of jumbo squid have exceptional hardness and stiffness in part thanks to high cross-linking density between its chitin and protein contents.
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- Strong yet lightweight ceramics and construction materials
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[Collapse all sections] Summary
"The hard tissues found in some invertebrate marine organisms represent intriguing paradigms for robust, lightweight materials. The present study focuses on one such tissue: that comprising the beak of the jumbo squid (Dosidicus gigas). Its main constituents are chitin fibers (15–20 wt.%) and histidine- and glycine-rich proteins (40–45%). Notably absent are mineral phases, metals and halogens. Despite being fully organic, beak hardness and stiffness are at least twice those of the most competitive synthetic organic materials (notably engineering polymers) and comparable to those of Glycera and Nereis jaws. Furthermore, the combination of hardness and stiffness makes the beaks more resistant to plastic deformation when in contact with blunt abrasives than virtually all metals and polymers. The 3,4-dihydroxy-l-phenylalanine and abundant histidine content in the beak proteins as well as the pigmented hydrolysis-resistant residue are suggestive of aromatic cross-linking. A high cross-linking density between the proteins and chitin may be the single most important determinant of hardness and stiffness in the beak. Beak microstructure is characterized by a lamellar arrangement of the constituents, with a weak interface that promotes crack deflection and endows the structure with high fracture toughness. The susceptibility of this microstructure to cracking along these interfaces from contact stresses at the external surface is mitigated by the presence of a protective coating." (Miserez et al. 2006:139)
About the inspiring organism
jumbo squid
Dosidicus gigas (D'Orbigny, 1835 in 1834-1847)
[Jumbo squid]
Some organism data provided by: ITIS: The Integrated Taxonomic Information System
Organism/taxonomy data provided by:
Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2008 Annual Checklist
Bioinspired products and application ideas
Application Ideas: Strong yet lightweight ceramics and construction materials.
Industrial Sector(s) interested in this strategy: Manufacturing, construction
Ultra-hard Material - Stronger steel; Body armor
Experts
Waite Research Lab
Herbert Waite
Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Barbara
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