In situ experimental study on the synergistic strengthening and toughening mechanisms of multiple pore structures in deer antler

Antler is a kind of natural biological material that is an important weapon for attack and defense and has good strength and excellent toughness. Synchrotron radiation computed tomography technology was adopted in this paper to continuously observe the deformation and failure process of the internal microstructure of antlers during the tensile process. The corresponding full-field strain and evolution of information of the internal structure were quantitatively analyzed combined with digital volume correlation technology. In the experiment, a large quantity of internal canals and lacunae with various shapes and sizes, forming a complex 3D spatial arrangement in antlers, were observed. While realizing the overall lightweight design of the structure, these pore structures can also implement a decrease in local strain concentration and block the long-distance propagation of the high strain concentration region through their cooperation and respective advantages. In addition, there are special high shear strain distribution regions in the antler, which guide the frequent deflection and stepped expansion of cracks, thus playing an important role in the excellent load-bearing capacity and energy dissipation of the antler. These results have positive guiding significance for the lightweight design and performance optimization of artificial porous materials.