Engineering Tough Materials: Biomimetic Eggshell

This final report summarizes the work completed on the two year pilot project, which concluded 31 July 2016. The first section summarizes the two previous reports to place the current work in context. Two new research results sections are included here. The first concerns the use of a synthetic peptide, mimicking natural eggshell protein believed to be influential in biomineralization, to examine its effect on CaCO3 formation, including a polymer-induced liquid precursor (PILP) mineralization.The second examines the interesting role of the eggshell membrane in shell fracture, demonstrating that it is intimately mechanically connected to the shell long after shell formation and mineralization. The report concludes with a brief outlook, including next steps to pursue in the new cooperative research arrangement between ERDC and the University of Cambridge.