About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2026 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Biological Materials Science
|
| Presentation Title |
Robust yet Flexible: Interfacial Structural Design Strategies from Fish Fin |
| Author(s) |
Chenhao Hu, Zhifei Deng, Yuchen Liu, Prashant Kunjam, Francois Barthelat, Lin Han, Ling Li |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Chenhao Hu |
| Abstract Scope |
Fish fin rays are natural morphing materials that can undergo bending deformations rapidly and repeatedly at high frequencies while remaining stiff enough to resist hydrodynamic loads. Each fin ray comprises hundreds of millimeter-sized mineralized segments (hemitrich) connected by collagen fibrils, forming a bilaminar beam actuated by muscle antagonism. Here we investigate the hierarchical structural designs and mechanical performance of the interfaces between adjacent hemitrich segments. The hemitrich interface consists of two regions, i.e., the bone-to-ligament-to-bone and bone-to-bone regions. The former resists tensile deformation and interface separation, while the latter is believed to resist compressive and transverse loadings. This mechanical performance is further facilitated by the underlying structural, compositional, and nanomechanical gradients at the hemitrich interface. Synchrotron-based in-situ mechanical testing demonstrates that these interfaces achieve excellent mechanical robustness while enabling high morphobility. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Biomaterials, Composites, Mechanical Properties |