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The mechanical behaviour of some molluscan hard tissues
Author(s) -
Currey J. D.,
Taylor J. D.
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
journal of zoology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.915
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1469-7998
pISSN - 0952-8369
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-7998.1974.tb04122.x
Subject(s) - ultimate tensile strength , materials science , microstructure , lamellar structure , young's modulus , composite material , modulus , homogeneous , elasticity (physics) , elastic modulus , shell (structure) , physics , thermodynamics
Pieces of shell from 19 species of molluscs exhibiting various microstructures were tested for tensile strength, modulus of elasticity in bending and modulus of rupture. In tensile strength most shells with cross‐foliated, foliated, homogeneous and crossed‐lamellar structures did not exceed 60 MNm 2 but prismatic and nacreous structures often exceeded this value. Nacreous structure was generally superior to all others in modulus of rupture tests; that of Turbo being about equal to bone. Values of modulus of elasticity were more uniform between structures. There is a general relation between mechanical properties, microstructure and the life style of each animal. Nacreous structure, which is very strong but not widely used, apparently evolved earlier than the less strong but widely used crossed‐lamellar structure.