The limiting layer of fish scales: Structure and properties
Abstract
Fish scales serve as a flexible natural armor that have received increasing attention across the materials community. Most efforts in this area have focused on the composite structure of the predominately organic elasmodine, and limited work addresses the highly mineralized external portion known as the Limiting Layer (LL). This coating serves as the first barrier to external threats and plays an important role in resisting puncture. Here in this investigation the structure, composition and mechanical behavior of the LL were explored for three different fish, including the arapaima (Arapaima gigas), the tarpon (Megalops atlanticus) and the carp (Cyprinus carpio). The scales of these three fish have received the most attention within the materials community. Features of the LL were evaluated with respect to anatomical position to distinguish site-specific functional differences. Results show that there are significant differences in the surface morphology of the LL from posterior and anterior regions in the scales, and between the three fish species. The calcium to phosphorus ratio and the mineral to collagen ratios of the LL are not equivalent among the three fish. Finally, results from nanoindentation showed that the LL of tarpon scales is the hardest, followed by the carp and the arapaimamore »
- Authors:
-
- Shanghai Univ., Shanghai (China). Dept. of Mechanics; Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States). Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering; Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
- Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States). Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering
- Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States). Energy and Environment Directorate
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States). Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate
- Univ. Eafit, Medellin (Colombia). School of Engineering, Production Engineering Dept.
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE; National Science Foundation (NSF); National Institutes of Health (NIH); Colciencias of Colombia
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1416971
- Alternate Identifier(s):
- OSTI ID: 1548975
- Grant/Contract Number:
- ECC-1542101; AC05-76RL01830; 0210-2013
- Resource Type:
- Journal Article: Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Acta Biomaterialia
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 67; Journal ID: ISSN 1742-7061
- Publisher:
- Acta Materialia, Inc.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; Apatite; Armor; Collagen; Fish scales; Hardness; Ionic substitution; Limiting layer; Nature; Scale morphology
Citation Formats
Arola, D., Murcia, S., Stossel, M., Pahuja, R., Linley, T., Devaraj, Arun, Ramulu, M., Ossa, E. A., and Wang, J. The limiting layer of fish scales: Structure and properties. United States: N. p., 2017.
Web. doi:10.1016/J.ACTBIO.2017.12.011.
Arola, D., Murcia, S., Stossel, M., Pahuja, R., Linley, T., Devaraj, Arun, Ramulu, M., Ossa, E. A., & Wang, J. The limiting layer of fish scales: Structure and properties. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.ACTBIO.2017.12.011
Arola, D., Murcia, S., Stossel, M., Pahuja, R., Linley, T., Devaraj, Arun, Ramulu, M., Ossa, E. A., and Wang, J. 2017.
"The limiting layer of fish scales: Structure and properties". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.ACTBIO.2017.12.011. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1416971.
@article{osti_1416971,
title = {The limiting layer of fish scales: Structure and properties},
author = {Arola, D. and Murcia, S. and Stossel, M. and Pahuja, R. and Linley, T. and Devaraj, Arun and Ramulu, M. and Ossa, E. A. and Wang, J.},
abstractNote = {Fish scales serve as a flexible natural armor that have received increasing attention across the materials community. Most efforts in this area have focused on the composite structure of the predominately organic elasmodine, and limited work addresses the highly mineralized external portion known as the Limiting Layer (LL). This coating serves as the first barrier to external threats and plays an important role in resisting puncture. Here in this investigation the structure, composition and mechanical behavior of the LL were explored for three different fish, including the arapaima (Arapaima gigas), the tarpon (Megalops atlanticus) and the carp (Cyprinus carpio). The scales of these three fish have received the most attention within the materials community. Features of the LL were evaluated with respect to anatomical position to distinguish site-specific functional differences. Results show that there are significant differences in the surface morphology of the LL from posterior and anterior regions in the scales, and between the three fish species. The calcium to phosphorus ratio and the mineral to collagen ratios of the LL are not equivalent among the three fish. Finally, results from nanoindentation showed that the LL of tarpon scales is the hardest, followed by the carp and the arapaima and the differences in hardness are related to the apatite structure, possibly induced by the growth rate and environment of each fish.},
doi = {10.1016/J.ACTBIO.2017.12.011},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1416971},
journal = {Acta Biomaterialia},
issn = {1742-7061},
number = ,
volume = 67,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Dec 14 00:00:00 EST 2017},
month = {Thu Dec 14 00:00:00 EST 2017}
}
Web of Science
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