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Synthesis of Stable Aragonite Superstructures by a Biomimetic Crystallization Pathway
Author(s) -
Nassif Nadine,
Gehrke Nicole,
Pinicola,
Shirshova Natasha,
Tauer Klaus,
Antonietti Markus,
Cölfen Helmut
Publication year - 2005
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.200500081
Subject(s) - aragonite , crystallization , materials science , chemistry , mineralogy , calcite , organic chemistry
Selective nucleation of aragonite can be achieved at ambient conditions in water by using block copolymer microgels at a very low concentration (0.1 ppm). One polymer template particle is sufficient to control the nucleation of a ring of aragonite single crystals, which propagate into a sheaf structure (see SEM image). Each aragonite crystal is protected by an outer amorphous layer that results in prolonged stability of the aragonite.