Brick and Mortar (IMAGE)

DOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Brick and Mortar

Caption

In the "brick-and-mortar" phase of the alumina/PMMA hybrid, aragonite "bricks" slide past each other when a load is applied, dissipating strain energy. The polymer "mortar" acts as a lubricant, like oil in an automobile engine.

Credit

Robert Ritchie, Berkeley Lab

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