Coherently aligned nanoparticles with a biogenic single crystal: A biological prestressing strategy
- Submitting institution
-
Queen Mary University of London
- Unit of assessment
- 12 - Engineering
- Output identifier
- 616
- Type
- D - Journal article
- DOI
-
10.1126/science.aaj2156
- Title of journal
- Science
- Article number
- -
- First page
- 1294
- Volume
- 358
- Issue
- 6368
- ISSN
- 0036-8075
- Open access status
- Compliant
- Month of publication
- December
- Year of publication
- 2017
- URL
-
-
- Supplementary information
-
-
- Request cross-referral to
- -
- Output has been delayed by COVID-19
- No
- COVID-19 affected output statement
- -
- Forensic science
- No
- Criminology
- No
- Interdisciplinary
- No
- Number of additional authors
-
18
- Research group(s)
-
-
- Proposed double-weighted
- No
- Reserve for an output with double weighting
- No
- Additional information
- In contrast to synthetic materials, materials produced by organisms are formed at ambient conditions and with a limited selection of elements. Here we present a biostrategy for strengthening and toughening the otherwise brittle calcite optical lenses found in the brittlestar Ophiocoma wendtii. This intriguing toughneing strategy comprises coherent nanoprecipitates to induce compressive stresses on the host matrix. The strategy described here provides an elegant way to maintain a solid matrix under compressive strains, and is suggesting new bio-inspired solutions in material science. Significance and impact of this paper is summarized in a commentary in Science by D.M. Duffy at https://science.sciencemag.org/content/358/6368/1254.summary
- Author contribution statement
- -
- Non-English
- No
- English abstract
- -