Biomimetic Blades: Mincing with Less Mineral

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Tooth enamel and dentin are the premier materials in vertebrates for hardness and abrasion resistance. The superb properties of these materials are vital adaptations for proper ingestion nutrition and, when compromised through decay or injury, pose many fundamental and technical challenges to effective restoration. In polychaete worms such as Glycera and Nereis, the tooth-like jaws have a resistance to wear that is comparable to enamel; however, this is accomplished with a tenth as much mineralization (Glycera) or no mineralization at all (Nereis). We believe that these mainly proteinaceous jaws offer important insights into the design of biocompatible wear-resistant materials. Based on preliminary studies, we propose to demonstrate that specific proteins/polymers can be hardened and toughened by mineralization, metal ion chelation, or both. Our aim in this discovery-driven proposal is a state-of-the-art chemical, structural and mechanical characterization of the jaws using mass spectrometry, molecular biology, X-ray analysis and nanoindentation. Rigorous engineering principles will be applied to the analysis of jaws to distill a set of biomimetic rules regarding the relationship between structure and wear. Significant correlations between the chemical, microstructural and mechanical properties will be used to direct the preparation of His-containing copolymers into hard films containing Cu or Zn ions. The chief health benefits of this research will be insights about lightweight replacement materials with superior hardness and abrasion resistance.