Issue 2, 2011

Biomineral nanoparticles are space-filling

Abstract

Sea urchin biominerals have been shown to form from aggregating nanoparticles of amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC), which then crystallize into macroscopic single crystals of calcite. Here we measure the surface areas of these biominerals and find them to be comparable to those of space-filling macroscopic geologic calcite crystals. These biominerals differ from synthetic mesocrystals, which are invariably porous. We propose that space-filling ACC is the structural precursor for echinoderm biominerals.

Graphical abstract: Biomineral nanoparticles are space-filling

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
20 Sep 2010
Accepted
11 Oct 2010
First published
17 Nov 2010

Nanoscale, 2011,3, 603-609

Biomineral nanoparticles are space-filling

L. Yang, C. E. Killian, M. Kunz, N. Tamura and P. U. P. A. Gilbert, Nanoscale, 2011, 3, 603 DOI: 10.1039/C0NR00697A

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