Tax hard shell molluscs

2000/09/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Biologia

The shells of molluscs are of fragile mineral aragonites, but they are very hard. Researcher Arthur Heuer, of the University of Cleveland of Ohio, has investigated the queen of the pink sea snail (Strombus gigas) and has discovered that the key to hardness is in the shell structure: its shells are formed by thin layers of minerals that form angles of 90º each other. Thanks to this structure, the shells of molluscs are hundreds of times harder than the simple crystals of aragonite. Heuer believes these structures could be suitable for developing tougher ceramic composites and lighter new materials.