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Biomimetic Control of Size in the Polyamine‐Directed Formation of Silica Nanospheres
Author(s) -
Sumper Manfred,
Lorenz Sonja,
Brunner Eike
Publication year - 2003
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/anie.200352212
Subject(s) - silicic acid , putrescine , polyamine , diatom , phosphate , biogenic silica , chemistry , in vitro , biochemistry , nanotechnology , chemical engineering , organic chemistry , materials science , biology , botany , enzyme , engineering
Diatom shells (see picture of cell of Stephanopyxis turris ) contain long‐chain polyamines attached either to putrescine or to phosphorylated silaffin peptides. These polyamines direct the in vitro formation of silica nanospheres from silicic acid. The concentration of multivalent anions (such as phosphate) defines the diameter of the nanospheres produced.