CRITICAL REVIEW

Critical Review

Critical Review

Name of Organism

The organism studied in this article is the Polypterus senegalus, a fish that has a unique set of scales that helps protect it against bites from predators. These scales are light weight but at the same time effective protection.

Aspects suitable for Biomimicry

By studying the scales of Polypterus senegalus, the creation of various materials are possible which can help to provide protection to the body and vehicles while keeping the weight to a minimum. This material can be used in the armed forces as a protective gear for personnel's and vehicles.

Method:

During the previous few decades, engineers and scientists have discovered various secrets of biology. One such example discovered by examining fish is the protective armor. Recent studies conducted on Polypterus senegalus, a fish of the Polypteridae family provides a model for protective armor that can be used to protect vehicles and bodies.

Polypterus senegalus has different scales compared to other fish; the scales are interlocking and made from four layers of nonacomposite materials. The coat of armor is around 400 micrometers think with a thin layer of hard ganoine measuring about 8 mircometers on the outside. After these layers is the dentine and isopedine that are each around 50 micrometers, followed by a layer of bone that is 300 micrometers thick (Bruet, 748).

The objective of such an armor is to provide good protection and at the same time minimizing the weight. Fish need this armor to protect themselves from the bites of predators and at the same time, they cannot afford to gain additional weight that will restrict their speed and maneuverability. This layer of scales fulfills all the requirements of such fish.

The researcher's studies used the finite element method to study this armor and used atomic force microscopy to calibrate the mechanical properties of the layers of ...