| Author(s) |
Donna P. Guillen, Zherui Guo, Bradley Huddleston, Jack Grimm, Cameron Renteria, Dula Parkinson, Viktor Nikitin, Carli Marsico, Dwayne Arola |
| Abstract Scope |
This study investigates the microstructure of enamel from various mammalian species to inform the synthesis of strong, fracture-resistant ceramic materials. Natural materials exhibit intricate hierarchical architectures that effectively manage crack propagation and fracture, overcoming the critical trade-off between stiffness and toughness in modern ceramics. Dental enamel, renowned for its exceptional damage tolerance and high strength, serves as a model system for developing such materials. Synchrotron X-ray micro- and nano-computed tomography was employed to elucidate the microstructural assembly of enamel rods and characterize decussation bands. Enamel samples from species including the lion, wolf, wild African dog, snow leopard, and black bear were analyzed using image cross-correlation methods. This analysis, conducted across different teeth (molar, premolar, canine) and tooth regions (cervical, mid-cervical, cusp, intercuspal), provide detailed insights into decussation band arrangement and rod orientation with the bands, aiding the development of damage-tolerant ceramics. |