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Mesophases of (Bio)Polymer–Silica Particles Inspire a Model for Silica Biomineralization in Diatoms
Author(s) -
Vrieling Engel G.,
Beelen Theo P. M.,
van Santen Rutger A.,
Gieskes Winfried W. C.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/1521-3773(20020503)41:9<1543::aid-anie1543>3.0.co;2-b
Subject(s) - biomineralization , small angle x ray scattering , polymer , diatom , chemical engineering , materials science , silica gel , scattering , crystallography , mineralogy , chemistry , composite material , geology , optics , engineering , physics , oceanography
In situ ultrasmall‐angle X‐ray scattering (USAXS) on polymer‐ and protein‐mediated silica transformations revealed a phase‐separation process in which mesophases direct silica aggregation. The USAXS spectra obtained from the synthesized silica have characteristic features that resemble those observed for pore structures in diatom exoskeletons. The hypothesis that mesophases could explain silica biomineralization in diatoms is discussed.