Piezoelectricity of chitin in lobster shell and apodeme

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Ando, Yutaka^{; *} | Fukada, Eiichi | Glimcher, Melvin J.

Affiliations: The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research, Wako, Saitama 351, Japan, and Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Boston, MA 02115, U.S.A.

Note: [*] Present address: Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Koganei, Tokyo 184, Japan.

Abstract: The piezoelectric strain-constant of dried lobster shell was found to be 10−9 ∼ 10−8 cgsesu. The piezoelectric strain-constant of demineralized apodeme was found to be as high as 4 × 10−8 cgsesu. The variation with temperature and hydration of the piezoelectric and dielectric constants was determined at 10Hz for demineralized apodeme. The results were interpreted by a two-phase theory for the piezoelectric relaxation. It is suggested that the remodelling of exoskeletons of invertebrates may be related to the piezoelectric activity of chitin.

DOI: 10.3233/BIR-1977-14404

Journal: Biorheology, vol. 14, no. 4, pp. 175-179, 1977