Structure and mechanical properties of naturally occurring lightweight foam-filled cylinder–The peacock’s tail coverts shaft and its components
Abstract
Feather shaft, which is primarily featured by a cylinder filled with foam, possesses a unique combination of mechanical robustness and flexibility with a low density through natural evolution and selection. Here the hierarchical structures of peacock's tail coverts shaft and its components are systematically characterized from millimeter to nanometer length scales. The variations in constituent and geometry along the length are examined. The mechanical properties under both dry and wet conditions are investigated. The deformation and failure behaviors and involved strengthening, stiffening and toughening mechanisms are analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively and correlated to the structures. It is revealed that the properties of feather shaft and its components have been optimized through various structural adaptations. Synergetic strengthening and stiffening effects can be achieved in overall rachis owing to increased failure resistance. This study is expected to aid in deeper understandings on the ingenious structure-property design strategies developed by nature, and accordingly, provide useful inspiration for the development of high-performance synthetic foams and foam-filled materials.
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The elastic modulus for long eyespot feathers exceeds that predicted by their individual components due to reinforcing interactions between the cortex and pith.
“the elastic modulus for long eyespot feathers exceeds that predicted by their individual components due to reinforcing interactions between the cortex and pith [30].”
From Biomechanics of the Peacock’s Display: How Feather Structure and Resonance Influence Multimodal Signaling (2016) · cites this paper as [30]
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- Authors
- Liu, Z. Q., Jiao, D., Meyers, M. A., & Zhang, Z. F.
- Affiliations
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)
- University of California San Diego (US)
- Corresponding author
- Liu, Z.Q.
- Zhang, Z.F.
- Venue
- Acta Biomaterialia
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2015-04
- Volume
- 17
- Pages
- 137-151
- ISSN
- 1742-7061 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1965069269
- Cited by
- 58
- References
- 49
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 6
- FWCI
- 7.19
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Acta Biomaterialia (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China (51331007)
- IMR SYNL-T.S. Kê Research Fellowship
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Mechanical Engineering › Cellular and Composite Structures
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Mechanical Engineering › Advanced Materials and Mechanics
- Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Biomaterials › Calcium Carbonate Crystallization and Inhibition
- Keywords
- feather shaft, hierarchy, lightweight materials, mechanical properties, failure mechanisms, toughening, stiffening, strengthening, biomimetic materials
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Biocompatible Materials, Biomechanical Phenomena, Elasticity, Feathers, Male, Materials Testing, Stress, Mechanical, Tensile Strength, Porosity, Compressive Strength, Galliformes
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