Shrimp ‘smasher’ leads to new super-strong materials - Materials Today
The mantis shrimp is the unlikely inspiration for new super strong composite materials being developed by researchers at the University of California, Riverside (UCR) and Purdue University. In particular, the researchers were inspired by the ability of this small, multicolored marine crustacean to crush the shells of its prey using a fist-like appendage called a dactyl club.
In a paper in Advanced Materials, the researchers describe the presence of a unique herringbone structure, not previously reported in nature, within the appendage's outer layer. It is this tough herringbone structure that not only protects the club during impact, but also enables the mantis shrimp to inflict incredible damage to its prey.