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Science 18 November 2005:
Vol. 310. no. 5751, pp. 1144 - 1147
DOI: 10.1126/science.1116994
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Review

Rigid Biological Systems as Models for Synthetic Composites

George Mayer

Advances that have been made in understanding the mechanisms underlying the mechanical behavior of a number of biological materials (namely mollusk shells and sponge spicules) are discussed here. Attempts at biomimicry of the structure of a nacreous layer of a mollusk shell have shown reasonable success. However, they have revealed additional issues that must be addressed if new synthetic composite materials that are based on natural systems are to be constructed. Some of the important advantages and limitations of copying from nature are also described here.

Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Roberts Hall 335, Box 352120, Seattle, WA 98195–2120, USA.

E-mail: gmayer{at}u.washington.edu

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THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Bioinspired Design and Assembly of Platelet Reinforced Polymer Films.
L. J. Bonderer, A. R. Studart, and L. J. Gauckler (2008)
Science 319, 1069-1073
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Identification of a silicatein(-related) protease in the giant spicules of the deep-sea hexactinellid Monorhaphis chuni.
W. E. G. Muller, A. Boreiko, U. Schlossmacher, X. Wang, C. Eckert, K. Kropf, J. Li, and H. C. Schroder (2008)
J. Exp. Biol. 211, 300-309
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Freezing as a Path to Build Complex Composites.
S. Deville, E. Saiz, R. K. Nalla, and A. P. Tomsia (2006)
Science 311, 515-518
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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)