Prorok studies abalone shell architecture for advancements in strength of multilayer composites

When people hear the words snails or slugs, most envision something slow or slimy and not something strong. Bart Prorok, director of Auburn University’s Analytical Microscopy Center and professor of materials engineering, understands something different. He studies abalone, a group of small to very large sea snails or mollusks that are the only animals in the world to make strong single coiled shells. Prorok cultures abalone in a laboratory and uses environmental parameters to control and manipulate how their shell architectures are formed to better understand their toughening mechanisms. The research will have a significant impact in designing a new class of multilayered composite architectures that can improve the performance of mechanically protective applications such as coatings and armor. 

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