On the regeneration of fish scales: structure and mechanical behavior
[5]
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA, Department of Mechanics, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99352, USA
- Shanghai Institute of Applied Mathematics and Mechanics, School of Mechanics and Engineering Science, Shanghai University, 200 444 Shanghai, China
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA, Shanghai Institute of Applied Mathematics and Mechanics, School of Mechanics and Engineering Science, Shanghai University, 200 444 Shanghai, China, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Washington Seattle, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
Fish scales serve as a dermal armor that provides protection from physical injury. Owing to a number of outstanding properties, fish scales are inspiring new concepts for layered engineered materials and next-generation flexible armors. Although past efforts have primarily focused on the structure and mechanical behavior of ontogenetic scales, the structure–property relationships of regenerated scales have received limited attention. In the present study, common carp (Cyprinus carpio) acquired from the wild were held live in an aquatic laboratory at 10°C and 20°C. Ontogenetic scales were extracted from the fish for analysis, as well as regenerated scales after approximately 1 year of development and growth. Their microstructure was characterized using microscopy and Raman spectroscopy, and the mechanical properties were evaluated in uniaxial tension to failure under hydrated conditions. We note the strength, strain to fracture and toughness of the regenerated scales were significantly lower than those of ontogenetic scales from the same fish, regardless of the water temperature. Scales that regenerated at 20°C exhibited significantly higher strength, strain to fracture and toughness than those regenerated at 10°C. The regenerated scales exhibited a highly mineralized outer layer, but no distinct limiting layer or external elasmodine; they also possessed a significantly lower number of plies in the basal layer than the ontogenetic scales. The results suggest that a mineralized layer develops preferentially during scale regeneration with the topology needed for protection, prior to the development of other qualities.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; National Science Foundation (NSF); Molecular Engineering & Sciences Institute; Clean Energy Institute; National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC05-76RL01830; ECC-1542101
- OSTI ID:
- 1630219
- Alternate ID(s):
- OSTI ID: 1615696; OSTI ID: 1755180
- Report Number(s):
- PNNL-SA-154979; jeb211144
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Experimental Biology, Journal Name: Journal of Experimental Biology Vol. 223 Journal Issue: 10; ISSN 0022-0949
- Publisher:
- The Company of BiologistsCopyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United Kingdom
- Language:
- English
Web of Science
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