The Plant-Like Structure of Lance Sea Urchin Spines as Biomimetic Concept Generator for Freeze-Casted Structural Graded Ceramics

The spine of the lance sea urchin (Phyllacanthus imperialis) is an unusual plant-akin hierarchical lightweight construction with several gradation features: a basic core–shell structure is modified in terms of porosities, pore orientation and pore size, forming superstructures. Differing local strength and energy consumption features create a biomimetic potential for the construction of porous ceramics with predetermined breaking points and adaptable behavior in compression overload. We present a new detailed structural and failure analysis of those spines and demonstrate that it is possible to include at least a limited number of those features in an abstracted way in ceramics, manufactured by freeze-casting. This possibility is shown to come from a modified mold design and optimized suspensions.

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On the Relation of Amorphous Calcium Carbonate and the Macromechanical Properties of Sea Urchin Spines

Advanced Engineering Materials ◽

10.1002/adem.201900922 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 22 (4) ◽

pp. 1900922 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Christoph Lauer ◽

Sebastian Haußmann ◽

Patrick Schmidt ◽

Carolin Fischer ◽

Doreen Rapp ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Calcium Carbonate ◽

Sea Urchin ◽

Amorphous Calcium Carbonate ◽

Sea Urchin Spines

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Sea urchin spines as a model-system for permeable, light-weight ceramics with graceful failure behavior. Part I. Mechanical behavior of sea urchin spines under compression

Journal of Bionic Engineering ◽

10.1016/s1672-6529(08)60125-0 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 6 (3) ◽

pp. 203-213 ◽

Cited By ~ 28

Author(s):

V. Presser ◽

S. Schultheiß ◽

C. Berthold ◽

K. G. Nickel

Keyword(s):

Mechanical Behavior ◽

Sea Urchin ◽

Model System ◽

Failure Behavior ◽

Light Weight ◽

Sea Urchin Spines

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Surgical Removal of Numerous Foreign Bodies from the Foot Caused by Sea Urchin Spines

Modern Plastic Surgery ◽

10.4236/mps.2012.24023 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 02 (04) ◽

pp. 97-98 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Mahmoud A. Hafez ◽

Ahmed Mounir Al-Dars

Keyword(s):

Sea Urchin ◽

Foreign Bodies ◽

Surgical Removal ◽

Sea Urchin Spines

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Cutaneous reaction to sea urchin spines

Journal of Clinical Images and Medical Case Reports ◽

10.52768/2766-7820/1287 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2 (4) ◽

Author(s):

Cassidy Johnston ◽

Keyword(s):

Treatment Regimen ◽

Sea Urchin ◽

Scuba Diving ◽

Skin Tumors ◽

Cutaneous Reaction ◽

Full Recovery ◽

Oral Doxycycline ◽

Dorsal Aspect ◽

Common Skin ◽

Sea Urchin Spines

A 35-year-old male returned from vacation in Hawaii where he went scuba diving and snorkeling. While snorkeling, he stepped on a sea urchin and sustained injuries to the dorsal aspect of his right foot. He began to swim back to shore when he felt significant pain and began removing visible spines when he reached shore. He saw a physician in Hawaii who removed remaining spines and started a treatment regimen of cephalexin 500 mg QID. Patient followed up 2 weeks later with his home dermatologist for persistent granuloma and was given 15-day course of oral doxycycline 50 mg BID with near full recovery within 2 weeks. Even physicians practicing inland need to be aware of coastal injuries and reactions as they can mimic other common skin tumors such as keratoacanthomas.

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