| Abstract Scope |
Biological materials exhibit remarkable structural adaptations to external pressures, facilitating various functions. For instance, shark denticles exhibit diverse morphologies adapted for drag reduction, protection, and antifouling, while animal limb bones show trabecular microstructure adaptations supporting distinct locomotion and lifestyles. Through quantification and classification of denticle features across various shark species, we identified ten morphogroups optimized for drag reduction, protection, and combined functions. Notably, the walking shark species (bamboo shark) showed robust denticles on their belly, snout, and pectoral fin, with hardness values of 4.5 to 5 GPa, suited for benthic environments. Similarly, quantifying bone microstructural features such as trabecular geometry, angle, porosity, etc., in animal limbs with different functions revealed morphotypes tailored for varied biomechanical needs. Essentially, mechanical properties across several bone microstructures were investigated using lattice spring model simulation to obtain functional structures with optimized properties. Our findings contribute to the development of advanced structures inspired by natural adaptations. |