Nano-mechanical properties of individual mineralized collagen fibrils from bone tissue

Mineralized collagen fibrils (MCFs) are distinct building blocks for bone material and perform an important mechanical function. A novel experimental technique using combined atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy is used to manipulate and measure the mechanical properties of indiv...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of the Royal Society interface 2011-04, Vol.8 (57), p.500-505
Main Authors: Hang, Fei, Barber, Asa H.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Antlers
Antlers - ultrastructure
Atomic Force Microscopy
Biomechanical Phenomena
Biomechanics
Bone
Bone and Bones - ultrastructure
Calcification, Physiologic
Collagen - physiology
Collagen - ultrastructure
Deer
Microscopy, Atomic Force
Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
Mineralized Collagen Fibril
Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission
Stress, Mechanical
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Summary:Mineralized collagen fibrils (MCFs) are distinct building blocks for bone material and perform an important mechanical function. A novel experimental technique using combined atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy is used to manipulate and measure the mechanical properties of individual MCFs from antler, which is a representative bone tissue. The recorded stress–strain response of individual MCFs under tension shows an initial linear deformation region for all fibrils, followed by inhomogeneous deformation above a critical strain. This inhomogeneous deformation is indicative of fibrils exhibiting either yield or strain hardening and suggests possible mineral compositional changes within each fibril. A phenomenological model is used to describe the fibril nano-mechanical behaviour.
ISSN:1742-5689
1742-5662
DOI:10.1098/rsif.2010.0413