Biomimetic control of crystal assembly by growth in an organic hydrogel network

Calcite aggregates are mineralized in an organic poly-acrylamide hydrogel using a counter diffusion arrangement. The particles obtained show a characteristic pseudo-octahedral morphology, which is unexpected for calcite crystals. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy reveal a microstructure...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inThe American mineralogist Vol. 88; no. 4; pp. 647 - 652
Main Authors Grassmann, Olaf, Neder, Reinhard B, Putnis, Andrew, Löbmann, Peer
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Washington Mineralogical Society of America 01.04.2003
Walter de Gruyter GmbH
Subjects
Aggregates
Biomimetics
Calcite
Calcium
carbonates
colloidal materials
crystal growth
crystal structure
Crystals
gels
hydrogels
Mineralogy
nonsilicates
X-ray diffraction
X-ray diffraction data
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Summary:Calcite aggregates are mineralized in an organic poly-acrylamide hydrogel using a counter diffusion arrangement. The particles obtained show a characteristic pseudo-octahedral morphology, which is unexpected for calcite crystals. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy reveal a microstructure composed of individual highly aligned calcite crystallites. Although the aggregates consist of independent crystallites, the X-ray diffraction patterns suggest calcite single crystals. By analogy with some biominerals, the inorganic assembly is intergrown with an organic hydrogel network. A specific model is proposed for growth of the aggregate.
ISSN:0003-004X
1945-3027
DOI:10.2138/am-2003-0418