Release Time:2019-03-09  Hits:

Indexed by: Journal Article

Date of Publication: 2010-03-01

Journal: ACTA MECHANICA SINICA

Included Journals: Scopus、ISTIC、EI、SCIE

Volume: 26

Issue: 1

Page Number: 21-25

ISSN: 0567-7718

Key Words: Abalone; Conch; Mechanical properties; Aragonite

Abstract: Haliotis discus hannai Ino (abalone shell) and Hemifusus tuba conch shell have been studied for the purpose to comparatively investigate the mechanisms by which nature designs composites. It is shown that both shells are composed of aragonite and a small amount of proteins while the conch shell shows finer microstructure but lower strength than abalone shell. It is also shown that the fresh shells exhibits better property than those after heat-treatments. It is therefore supposed that the size of inorganic substance is not a dominant factor to improve strength, while both proteins in shells and the microstructure of inorganic matter also play important roles.