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Crystal growth via spiral motion in abalone shell nacre

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2006

Nan Yao ,
Alexander Epstein  and
Austin Akey
Nan Yao*
Affiliation:
Princeton University, Princeton Institute for the Science and Technology of Materials, Princeton, New Jersey 08544
Alexander Epstein
Affiliation:
Princeton University, Princeton Institute for the Science and Technology of Materials, Princeton, New Jersey 08544
Austin Akey
Affiliation:
Princeton University, Princeton Institute for the Science and Technology of Materials, Princeton, New Jersey 08544
*
a) Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

We present a structural feature of nacre in the red abalone shell: micrometer-scale screw dislocations in the aragonite layers and resultant growth via spiral motion. Compared to typical ionic or covalent crystals, nacre contains 106 screw dislocations per square centimeter, a difference of three orders of magnitude. Using electron microscopy, ion microscopy, and an in situ nano-manipulator, we studied the structure of screw dislocation cores in detail. We considered that these screw dislocations contribute significantly to the strengthening mechanisms that lead to nacre's extraordinary work of fracture, which is three orders of magnitude greater than that of aragonite and other monolithic crystals. This work suggests that the lamellar layers of aragonite propagate via a large number of continuous spiral growth domains as the “stacks of coins” become confluent. This model may provide a basis for creating new comparable micro/nanocomposites through synthetic or biomineralization means.

Keywords

Crystal growthBiomimeticMicrostructure
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 21 , Issue 8 , August 2006 , pp. 1939 - 1946
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2006

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