维也纳工业大学和维也纳大学的研究人员发现，古代海蠕虫Perinereis cultrifera的颌部由蛋白质和金属离子组成，具有金属般的强度，被命名为"生物金属"。[1]这是一类全新的天然材料，其硬度、应变响应和离子-蛋白质结构等特征不同于传统金属。[1]
研究发现，海蠕虫颌部中金属离子在尖端浓度更高，使其更硬且更适合咬合和研磨。[1]研究人员使用纳米压痕技术测量颌部硬度，结合化学分析和详细成像，发现了Nix-Gao纳米压痕尺寸效应，这种效应与铜、银等金属中观察到的现象相同。[1]研究员Christian Hellmich表示："海蠕虫颌部也显示出尺寸相关的弹性。这是生物金属与标准晶态金属（如铜或银）相比的区别特征。"[1]该研究成果已于2026年7月16日发表于《Biophysics Reviews》期刊。[1]
Researchers from Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien) and the University of Vienna have identified an entirely new class of natural material in the jaws of an ancient sea worm species, Perinereis cultrifera.[1] The jaw structure is composed of proteins combined with metal ions, creating what scientists have termed "bio-metal"—a material that exhibits metallic strength and mechanical properties fundamentally different from conventional metals.[1]
The team employed nanoindentation techniques to measure jaw hardness, complemented by chemical analysis and detailed imaging, revealing that metal ion concentration is significantly higher at the jaw tips, making these structures harder and better suited for biting and grinding functions.[1] Notably, the researchers discovered a Nix-Gao nanoindentation size effect within the worm's jaws, a phenomenon previously observed only in metals such as copper and silver.[1] According to researcher Christian Hellmich, "the sea worm's jaw also displays size-dependent elasticity, which represents a distinguishing characteristic of bio-metal compared to standard crystalline metals like copper or silver."[1]
The findings, published in Biophysics Reviews on July 16, 2026, suggest this bio-metal possesses hardness, strain response, and ion-protein structural characteristics that diverge significantly from traditional metallic materials, potentially opening new directions for materials science research.[1]