In situ determination of the extreme damage resistance behavior in stomatopod dactyl club

The structure and mechanical properties of the stomatopod dactyl club have been studied extensively for its extreme impact tolerance, but a systematic in situ investigation on the multiscale mechanical responses under high-speed impact has not been reported. Here the full dynamic deformation and crack evolution process within projectile-impacted dactyl using combined fast 2D X-ray imaging and high-resolution ex situ tomography are revealed. The results show that hydration states can lead to significantly different toughening mechanisms inside dactyl under dynamic loading. A previously unreported 3D interlocking structural design in the impact surface and impact region is reported using nano X-ray tomography. Experimental results and dynamic finite-element modeling suggest this unique structure plays an important role in resisting catastrophic structural damage and hindering crack propagation. This work is a contribution to understanding the key toughening strategies of biological materials and provides valuable information for biomimetic manufacturing of impact-resistant materials in general.