Structural Arrangement and Properties of Spicules in Glass Sponges

Abstract

The morphology, chemical composition, and optical properties of long monoaxonic spicules were studied in several species of marine deep-sea hexactinellid sponges of different orders and families: Asconema setubalense (Hexasterophora, Lyssacinosida) and Monorhaphis chuni Schulze (Monorhaphiidae). Their macrostructural organization is a system of thin layers laid around the central cylinder containing a square canal filled with organic matter. A significant role in spicule organization is played by the organic matrix. The macrostructural of organization of the spicule in Monorhaphis chuni is a system of the "cylinder-within-a-cylinder" type. However the spicule surface is covered with ridges. They penetrate a few layers into the spicule. Analysis of the elemental composition of the basalia spicule of Monorhaphis chuni demonstrates a heterogeneous allocation of C, O, Si on the spicule surface, subsurface layers, and on ridges. All studied spicules have the properties of anisotropic crystals and they demonstrate a capability to the birefrigence. On the other hand we discovered unique property of spicules-their capacity for triboluminescence. The discovery of triboluminescence in composite organosilicon materials of which the spicules of hexactinellid sponges are built may contribute to the creation of biomimetic materials capable of generating light emission.

Antagonistic activity of marine sponges associated Actinobacteria

“…spicules it possessed and these spicules are highly distinct for each species [5,6]. In recent times, marine sponges has been the central attraction in the research due to the following factors namely (i) they associate closely with diverse range of microbes and (ii) in nature they are the wealthy source of many secondary metabolites [7].…”

A Bio-Inspired Approach to Improve the Toughness of Brittle Bast Fibre-Reinforced Composites Using Cellulose Acetate Foils

“…With a tensile strength of 514 ± 178 MPa and a tensile modulus of 3800 ± 1400 MPa at a clamping length of 25 mm, the spicules [ 39 ] are admittedly less strong and stiff than conventional E-glass fibres with a strength of 2580 ± 40 MPa and a Young’s modulus of 78,000 MPa [ 40 ]. Nevertheless, due to the increased crack length, the bioglass fibres achieve a significantly higher toughness than conventional glass fibres [ 38 , 41 , 42 , 43 ]. The principle of crack propagation found in these bioglass fibres was applied to polypropylene (PP) sheets by layering talcum-filled PP as the stiffer component and unfilled PP layers as the softer component using the extrusion processing technique.…”

Optimization design of lightweight structure inspired by glass sponges (Porifera, Hexacinellida) and its mechanical properties

“…Glass sponges represent a successful evolution in nature, living on the bottom of the sea at depths from 10 to 6770 m (Drozdov and Karpenko 2011, Leys et al 2016, Dohrmann et al 2017. The sponge is anchored to the sea floor by thousands of anchor spicules (long, hairlike skeletal elements), each of which measures 50 µm in diameter and up to 100 mm in length.…”