A microstructural study of individual nacre tablet of Pinctada maxima.
Nacre tablets from the shell of Pinctada maxima were studied with SEM, TEM and STEM. The systematic nanolath morphology on the (001) surface of nacre tablets was observed after acidic etching and mechanical polishing. The nanolaths were along the [100] crystallographic orientation of aragonite crystal. The (010) and (100) cross section surfaces of the nacre tablets showed nanolath and nanograin morphologies, respectively, which was consistent with [100] crystallographic orientation of nanolath on the (001) surface. Sheet-like defects with low mass density were observed on the (001) plane inside nacre tablets and were considered to be the cause of nanolath morphology revealed on the surfaces by acidic etching and mechanical polishing. On the other hand, large block [110] twins that divide the nacre tablets into two sectors were identified. The implication of these twins on the understanding to the crystallization mechanism of nacre tablets was discussed.
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China.
Sheng-Nan
SN
Wang
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China.
Xiao-Hui
XH
Yan
Department of Materials Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.
Rizhi
R
Wang
South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Science, No. 231 Xingangxi Road, Guangzhou 510300, China.
Da-Hui
DH
Yu
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China. Electronic address: msewangxx@zju.edu.cn.
Xiao-Xiang
XX
Wang
D060105:Animal Shells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D000818:Animals; D003460:Crystallization; D003461:Crystallography; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D060734:Nacre / Q000737:chemistry*; D049911:Pinctada / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D013499:Surface Properties
D060734:Nacre
Aragonite crystal; Biomineral; Microstructure; Nacre