About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2027 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Biological Materials Science
|
| Presentation Title |
Elucidating Structure–Mechanics Relationships in Hierarchical Antler Bone |
| Author(s) |
Balasubramanian Rukmanikrishnan, Ning Zhang |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Balasubramanian Rukmanikrishnan |
| Abstract Scope |
Antler bone is a unique natural material that combines rapid annual growth with exceptional damage tolerance, providing an attractive model for the design of lightweight, impact-resistant structural materials. In this study, we investigate the hierarchical structure–mechanics relationships of deer antler bone using SEM, XRD, and nanoindentation. SEM reveals a gradient architecture comprising a dense outer cortical region and a porous inner cancellous region, with distinct lamellar organizations across different length scales. XRD confirms the crystalline mineral phase, while nanoindentation quantifies the local mechanical response throughout the hierarchical structure. The results show pronounced regional variations in hardness and elastic modulus, with young antler bone exhibiting approximately 25–30% higher values than old antler bone. These findings demonstrate that hierarchical structural organization governs local mechanical performance and damage tolerance. The insights gained from this work provide fundamental design principles for developing lightweight, high-performance bioinspired structural materials with enhanced mechanical resilience. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Biomaterials, Characterization, Mechanical Properties |