title: Mapping nanomechanical properties of freshly grown, native, interlamellar organic sheets on flat pearl nacre.
abstract: We imaged surfaces of freshly grown flat pearl nacre (Haliotis tuberculata) in different stages of growth in seawater using an atomic force microscope (AFM). Characteristic mineral phases of nacre, such as aragonitic stacks of coins, as well as the associated organic sheets, could be detected. Apart from imaging, the acquisition of force volumes on freshly grown organic surface areas on flat pearl nacre was conducted with the AFM. The evaluation of the force volumes with the Hertz-Sneddon model resulted in Young's moduli in the MPa range. The presented values are considerably smaller than values previously determined from macroscopic tensile tests. This might reflect the anisotropy of the organic nacre layers.
authors.affiliation: Pure and Applied Biomineralisation Group, Institute of Biophysics, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany.
authors.forename: Malte
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Launspach
authors.affiliation: Materials Science Center and Department of Physics, Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Katharina I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Gries
authors.affiliation: Roche Diagnostics, Penzberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Fabian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Heinemann
authors.affiliation: Pure and Applied Biomineralisation Group, Institute of Biophysics, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany.
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hübner
authors.affiliation: Pure and Applied Biomineralisation Group, Institute of Biophysics, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fritz
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biophysics, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany. Electronic address: mf@biophysik.uni-bremen.de.
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Radmacher
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D008974:Mollusca / Q000737:chemistry*; D060734:Nacre / Q000737:chemistry*; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012996:Solutions
chemical_list: D060734:Nacre; D012996:Solutions
keywords: AFM; Force mapping; Haliotis tuberculata; Hertz–Sneddon model; Young’s modulus