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Updated: Jul 19, 2026

Determining the Mechanical Strength of Ultra-Fine-Grained Metals
Published on: November 22, 2021
Nanogranular origins of the strength of bone
Kuangshin Tai1, Franz-Josef Ulm, Christine Ortiz
1Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.
Abstract:
Here, we investigate the ultrastructural origins of the strength of bone, which is critical for proper physiological function. A combination of dual nanoindentation, three-dimensional elastic-plastic finite element analysis using a Mohr-Coulomb cohesive-frictional strength criterion, and angle of repose measurements was employed. Our results suggest that nanogranular friction between mineral particles is responsible for increased yield resistance in compression relative to tension and that cohesion originates from within the organic matrix itself, rather than organic-mineral bonding.
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