Abstract
High-performance natural materials and system are now serving as models for new engineering designs. In this work we have investigated the structure and mechanics of a single teleost fish scale from striped bass Morone saxatilis as part of larger project on novel flexible protective systems inspired from fish skin. These scales are about 300 microns thick and consist of a hard outer bony layer supported by a cross ply of collagen fibrils. Basic properties were obtained from tensile tests on single scales. While the bony layer is brittle, the collagen layer can undergo large deformations, eventually failing by extensive fiber pullout. Perforation tests with a sharp needle on a single scale resting on a soft substrate were also used to assess the performance and mechanics of a scale under a predator's bite. We found that multiple small circumferential cracks developed on the top surface of the bony layer near the penetration site, while four major radial cracks formed through the thickness of bony layer.
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Zhu, D., Vernerey, F., Barthelat, F. (2011). The Mechanical Performance of Teleost Fish Scales. In: Proulx, T. (eds) Mechanics of Biological Systems and Materials, Volume 2. Conference Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Mechanics Series. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-0219-0_16
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-0219-0_16
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