The role of the membrane in the hen's egg as a model for increasing the toughness of engineered brittle materials
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Woida, Raphael
Graupner, Nina
Labonte, David
Muessig, Jorg
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Eggshell and the attached membrane are the focus of many fields of research, but their mechanical properties as a biomineralised composite are seldom explored. This investigation aimed to asses the influence of the membrane on energy dissipation during macroscopic structure failure, and if this effect could be reproduced with artificial membranes for later use in biomimetic materials. Compression tests followed by fracture pattern analysis were conducted for five types of manipulated egg halves: samples with and without the natural membrane, and three samples where the membrane was replaced with artificial membranes made from epoxy resin, polyurethane resin, or wood glue. To preserve the shell's shape, the natural membrane was removed with NaClO. Significant differences regarding the fracture forces between samples with the natural membrane and no membrane (20 % decrease of average), and the natural and artificial membranes (30 % increase of average) were measured. Fracture pattern analysis and investigation of the total work performed during compression testing revealed the highest improvements in toughness for the artificial polyurethane-resin membrane. Without any membrane, very small amounts of work were required to completely shatter the egg, and no fragment cohesion was observed. The presence of the membrane significantly enhanced the effective toughness of the eggshell, and the biomimetic abstraction of this concept is considered feasible for further investigation involving engineered brittle materials.
Date Issued
2025-10-01
Date Acceptance
2025-06-12
Citation
Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials, 2025, 170
ISSN
1751-6161
Publisher
Elsevier
Journal / Book Title
Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials
Volume
170
Copyright Statement
© 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
License URL
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/40554988
PII: S1751-6161(25)00217-6
Subjects
Biomimetics
Ceramic composites
Eggshell
EGGSHELL MEMBRANE
Engineering
Engineering, Biomedical
Fracture pattern
Materials Science
Materials Science, Biomaterials
MECHANISMS
RESISTANCE
Science & Technology
SHELL MEMBRANES
Technology
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
Netherlands
Article Number
107101
Date Publish Online
2025-06-17