• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.70-77
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• 1995

The purpose of this study is to determine the differences of the conchiolin layer, prismatic layer and nacreous layer deposited within the shell of the freshwater family Unionidae. shether they possess species-specific characteristics and differences of the microstructure of these layers, A Scanning electron microscopic obwervations were conducted on seven species. The results indicate that all species possess thin and homogeneous layers within the periostracum. The prismatic layers of these species were composed of ednsely packed prisms. The prismatic layers of the shell in six species were typical shape of prisms. especially Inio douglasiae and Lamprotual gottschei. But, in Unio douglasiae sinuolatus, it was irregular and oblique prism shape.The nacreous layer of weven unionids characterized by possession of three types by lamillae shape: thin and homogeneous on genus Anodonta(0.4 pm size of lamella), Unio(1.3pm) and Lamprotual (1.7pm), homogeneous in shape and irregular in size of lamillae in Lanceolaria(1.0 pm)and irregulat in shape and size in Solenaia(0.2-0.4 pm). The microstructure of the naceous layer may be useful as a taxonomic character at the generic level.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.69-78
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• 1989

Cultivated pearls, composed of aragonite crystals, show two distinctive layers: nacreous and conchiolin organic layers. Each aragonite crystal is surrounded by organic matrix, which probably consists of amino acids. Nucleus, surrounded by pearl layer, also consists of nacreous crystals, suggesting that there is a close mineralogical and ultrasturctural relationship between pearl and nucleus. Carbon isotopic values of cultivated pearls are within the range of marine carbonate carbon. Oxygen isotopic composition indicates that the temperature for the growth of pearl and pearl oyster ranges from 16.4 to $21.4^{\circ}C$ and from 15.5 to $24.8^{\circ}C$, corresponding to the summer temperature range of the cultivating area. Elemental composition of pearl, pearl oyster, and nucleus shows that there is a difference in chemical composition depending upon the original mineralogy and the chemical composition of water in which shells grow. Especially, a strong relationship exists between pearl and the inner layer of pearl oyster because both are composed of nacreous aragonite and formed in a shallow marine environment.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.165-168
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• 2014

Shell of oyster has a function of shelter from predator as well as growth potential. We investigated the physicochemical characteristics of oyster shells from three difference oyster farms. The shells from Wando waters characterized high stability of nanostructure, ticker nacreous layer, high thermal decomposition temperature and low content of sulphur as well. These results represent that Wando coast is pristine water for oyster farming.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.9-16
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• 2015

A mineralogical analysis on the factors affecting the luster of pearls was carried out using gravity measurement, optical microscope observation, X-ray diffraction analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. We divided the seawater cultured pearls from Tongyeong into the following four types based on luster and shape; good luster and round (LR), lackluster and round (LLR), lackluster and baroque (LLB), and lackluster and two nucleus (LTN) pearls. Pearls with high-quality luster had slightly lower specific gravity as compared to pearls with low-quality luster, but both these types of pearls are within the specific gravity range of commercial pearls. Regarding the cross-sectional thickness of the mother-of-pearl layer, LR pearls showed a uniform thickness of about 0.3 mm in average. On the other hand, LLR pearls were characterized by relatively thinner, but uniform thickness. LTN and LLB pearls showed a tendency of significantly large variation in thickness even within a single pearl. For the surface of pearls, pearls with high-quality luster showed narrower and clearer growth lines of aragonite crystals as compared to pearls with low-quality luster. Pearls with high-quality luster were characterized by fewer aragonite crystal lattice defects as compared to pearls with low-quality luster, and the former showed parallel arrangement, thinner thickness, and less difference in thickness on the surface and inside. If a pearl has a prismatic layer, it is composed of aragonite with calcite in the prismatic and nacreous layer, and calcite content is very high in the lackluster pearl. Pearls without a prismatic layer were devoid of calcite irrespective of their quality of luster, and were composed of aragonite.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.215-226
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• 2022

Significant efforts have been devoted to developing high-performance composite materials by emulating the structure of biological creatures with superior mechanical characteristics. Nacre has been one of the most sought-after natural structures due to its exceptional fracture toughness compared with the constituent materials. However, the effect of manipulating the nacre-like geometry on the impact performance has not been fully investigated thus far. In this study, composites of randomly manipulated nacreous geometry are numerically developed and the impact performance is analyzed. We develop an algorithm by which the planar area of platelets in the nacre-like design is randomly resized. Thereafter, the numerical models of nonuniform nacre-patterned multi-layer structures are developed and the drop-weight impact simulation is performed. The impact behaviors of the model are evaluated by using the ratio of absorbed energy, the von Mises stress distribution, and the impact force-time curve. Therefore, the effect of the geometric irregularity on the nacre-patterned design is elucidated. This insight can be efficiently utilized in establishing the optimum design of the nacre-patterned structure.