Display Settings:

Format

Send to:

Choose Destination
We are sorry, but NCBI web applications do not support your browser and may not function properly. More information
    Science. 2009 Nov 27;326(5957):1244-7. doi: 10.1126/science.1178583.

    Visualizing the 3D internal structure of calcite single crystals grown in agarose hydrogels.

    Source

    Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.

    Abstract

    Single crystals are usually faceted solids with homogeneous chemical compositions. Biogenic and synthetic calcite single crystals, however, have been found to incorporate macromolecules, spurring investigations of how large molecules are distributed within the crystals without substantially disrupting the crystalline lattice. Here, electron tomography reveals how random, three-dimensional networks of agarose nanofibers are incorporated into single crystals of synthetic calcite by allowing both high- and low-energy fiber/crystal interface facets to satisfy network curvatures. These results suggest that physical entrapment of polymer aggregates is a viable mechanism by which macromolecules can become incorporated inside inorganic single crystals. As such, this work has implications for understanding the structure and formation of biominerals as well as toward the development of new high-surface area, single-crystal composite materials.

    Comment in

    PMID:
    19965470
    [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
    Free full text

      Supplemental Content

      Icon for HighWire

      Save items

      Recent activity

      Your browsing activity is empty.

      Activity recording is turned off.

      Turn recording back on

      See more...
      Write to the Help Desk