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Brian R. Lawn
Research Interests
- Characterization of damage and fracture in enamel and other biomineralized tissues. How microstructural complexion of tooth enamel dictates processess of damage resistance, via crack arrest and self-healing mechanisms
- Development of biomimetic composites through understanding of damage tolerance mechanisms in natural structures
- Analysis of replacement materials for all-ceramic dental crowns. Development of predictive 'virtual test' tools, whereby a dental practitioner can accurately predetermine an optimal restoration protocol from simple measurements of any given tooth condition
- Anthropological implications of tooth structure in relation to diet, as inferred by tooth damage in extant and extinct species
![[Lawn]_Figs](https://www.nist.gov/mml/mmsd/images/-Lawn-_Figs.JPG "[Lawn]_Figs")
Figure 1(left): Fracture of glass 'dome' structure simulating failure of dental crown under simulated occlusal load; Figure 2(center): Fracture of extracted human molar tooth under analogous loading conditions; Figure 3(right): Transverse section of human tooth, showing internal closed cracks ('tufts') in enamel; the tufts are sources of weakness, but the complex microstructure constrains crack growth
Awards and Honors
- Honorary Doctorate in Engineering, University of Western Australia, 2008
- Honorary Fellow, International Congress of Fracture, 2005
- Honorary Professor, Jiatong Xi'an University, 2003
- ISI Highly Cited Researcher, 2001
- U.S. National Academy of Engineering, 2001
- Ross Coffin Purdy Award, American Ceramic Society, 1999
- Hobart M. Kraner Award, American Ceramic Society, 1991
- Fellow, American Ceramic Society, 1986
- Edward Uhler Condon Award, National Bureau of Standards, 1984
- Sosman Award, American Ceramic Society, 1982
Current Collaborative Programs
- New York University (School of Dentistry) - Yu Zhang, Dianne Rekow, Van Thompson
- University of Maryland (Department of Materials Engineering) - Isabel Lloyd
- George Washington University (Department of Anthropology) — Peter Lucas, Paul Constantino
- Teledyne Scientific (Thousand Oaks) — Brian Cox, David Marshall
- University of Western Australia (Department of Mechanical Engineering) — Mark Bush
- University of Extremadura, Spain — Antonia Pajares
- University of Tel Aviv, Israel - Herzl Chai