Also: mother of pearl, calcium carbonate, eggshell, seashell
Nacre, or mother of pearl, is a brick-and-mortar stack of calcium carbonate plates glued by protein, which makes it far tougher than chalk. Engineers copy its structure, and waste eggshells and seashells supply calcium carbonate fillers.
Readiness: lab lab studies · prototype demonstrated objects · commercial products or buildings in real use · review summaries of other studies.
Showed how specialised macromolecules stabilise amorphous calcium carbonate in biological and synthetic precipitates.
As reported in: Aizenberg, Addadi, Weiner et al. (1996). Stabilization of amorphous calcium carbonate by specialized macromolecules in biological and synthetic precipitates. Advanced Materials. doi:10.1002/adma.19960080307
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Reviewed the roles of amorphous calcium carbonate in how organisms build minerals.
As reported in: Addadi, Raz, Weiner (2003). Taking Advantage of Disorder: Amorphous Calcium Carbonate and Its Roles in Biomineralization. Advanced Materials. doi:10.1002/adma.200300381
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A nacre-inspired MXene/cellulose nanofibre composite paper that is strong, tough and shields electromagnetic interference.
Built / tested: EMI shielding paper
As reported in: Cao, Chen, Zhu et al. (2018). Binary Strengthening and Toughening of MXene/Cellulose Nanofiber Composite Paper with Nacre-Inspired Structure and Superior Electromagnetic Interference Shielding Properties. ACS Nano. doi:10.1021/acsnano.8b00997
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Used elastic theory and fracture mechanics to explain the strength of layered biocomposites like nacre.
As reported in: Okumura, de Gennes (2001). Why is nacre strong? Elastic theory and fracture mechanics for biocomposites with stratified structures. The European Physical Journal E. doi:10.1007/s101890170150
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Made a nanostructured artificial version of nacre.
Built / tested: nacre-like films
As reported in: Tang, Kotov, Magonov et al. (2003). Nanostructured artificial nacre. Nature Materials. doi:10.1038/nmat906
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A review of waste eggshell and seashell calcium carbonate as fillers in polymer composites.
As reported in: Owuamanam, Cree (2020). Progress of Bio-Calcium Carbonate Waste Eggshell and Seashell Fillers in Polymer Composites: A Review. Journal of Composites Science. doi:10.3390/jcs4020070