Caitlin
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Science Daily
MADISON, Wis., July 3 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists are studying the remarkable shiny material known as mother-of-pearl in an effort to harness its simplicity and superb strength.
University of Wisconsin-Madison physicists said while the shiny material of pearls and abalone shells has long been prized in jewelry, mother-of-pearl -- also called nacre -- is 3,000 times more fracture-resistant than the mineral it is made of, aragonite.
"You can go over it with a truck and not break it -- you will crumble the outside (of the shell) but not the (nacre) inside," said physicist Pupa Gilbert.
Understanding the mechanism by which nacre forms would be the first step toward harnessing its strength and simplicity.
"We don't know how to synthesize materials that are better than the sum of their parts," Gilbert said.
"If you understand how it forms, you could think of reproducing it ... a so-called 'biomimetic' material," Gilbert said. "If we learn how to harness the mechanism of formation, then we could, for example, produce cars that absorb all the energy at the impact point, but do not fracture."
The research is detailed in the June 29 issue of the journal Physical Review Letters.
Copyright 2007 by United Press International. All Rights Reserved.
MADISON, Wis., July 3 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists are studying the remarkable shiny material known as mother-of-pearl in an effort to harness its simplicity and superb strength.
University of Wisconsin-Madison physicists said while the shiny material of pearls and abalone shells has long been prized in jewelry, mother-of-pearl -- also called nacre -- is 3,000 times more fracture-resistant than the mineral it is made of, aragonite.
"You can go over it with a truck and not break it -- you will crumble the outside (of the shell) but not the (nacre) inside," said physicist Pupa Gilbert.
Understanding the mechanism by which nacre forms would be the first step toward harnessing its strength and simplicity.
"We don't know how to synthesize materials that are better than the sum of their parts," Gilbert said.
"If you understand how it forms, you could think of reproducing it ... a so-called 'biomimetic' material," Gilbert said. "If we learn how to harness the mechanism of formation, then we could, for example, produce cars that absorb all the energy at the impact point, but do not fracture."
The research is detailed in the June 29 issue of the journal Physical Review Letters.
Copyright 2007 by United Press International. All Rights Reserved.
