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Hardness and elastic properties of dehydrated cuticle from the lobster Homarus americanus obtained by nanoindentation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2006

C. Sachs ,
H. Fabritius  and
D. Raabe
C. Sachs
Affiliation:
Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung, 40237 Düsseldorf, Germany
H. Fabritius
Affiliation:
Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung, 40237 Düsseldorf, Germany
D. Raabe*
Affiliation:
Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung, 40237 Düsseldorf, Germany
*
a) Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: raabe@mpie.de
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Abstract

The mechanical properties of biological materials are well adjusted to their function. An excellent example for such materials is the cuticle or exoskeleton of arthropods. In this study, dehydrated cuticle of the American lobster Homarus americanus was examined as a model for a mineralized biological composite material. Nanoindentation testing is a powerful method for revealing gradients and anisotropy in the hardness and the elastic properties of such materials. The air-dried test specimens stem from different parts of the crusher claw with different biological functions. Both the exocuticle and the endocuticle were probed in normal and in the transverse direction to the cuticle surface. For estimating variations in the grade of mineralization, the samples which were tested as cross-sections of the cuticle were analyzed by the use of energy dispersive x-ray mapping. The microstructure of fracture surfaces of the test specimens was investigated using scanning electron microscopy. Due to the use of dehydrated samples, our results do not reflect the exact properties of lobster cuticle in the natural hydrated state, but they can be regarded as a fairly good approximation to the in vivo state.

Keywords

BiologicalCompositeMicrostructure
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 21 , Issue 8 , August 2006 , pp. 1987 - 1995
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2006

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