On the mechanistic origins of toughness in bone

Journal Article · Wed Oct 07 04:00:00 EDT 2009 · Annual Review of Materials Research

OSTI ID:974311

Launey, Maximilien E; Buehler, Markus J; Ritchie, Robert O

One of the most intriguing protein materials found in Nature is bone, a material composed out of assemblies of tropocollagen molecules and tiny hydroxyapatite mineral crystals, forming an extremely tough, yet lightweight, adaptive and multi-functional material. Bone has evolved to provide structural support to organisms, and therefore, its mechanical properties are of great physiological relevance. In this article, we review the structure and properties of bone, focusing on mechanical deformation and fracture behavior from the perspective of the multi-dimensional hierarchical nature of its structure. In fact, bone derives its resistance to fracture with a multitude of deformation and toughening mechanisms at many of these size-scales, ranging from the nanoscale structure of its protein molecules to its macroscopic physiological scale.

• Research Organization: Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: Materials Sciences Division
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-05CH11231
• OSTI ID: 974311
• Report Number(s): LBNL-2735E
• Journal Information: Annual Review of Materials Research, Journal Name: Annual Review of Materials Research
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
DEFORMATION
FOCUSING
FRACTURES
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
PROTEINS