Calcium carbonate films and helices grown in solutions of poly(aspartate)
- Creators
- Gower, L. A.
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Tirrell, D. A.
Abstract
Addition of charged polypeptides, in particular poly(aspartate), to supersaturated solutions of calcium carbonate (CaCO_3) leads to unusual morphologies in the inorganic phase. The polymer causes deposition of CaCO_3 films, which appear to act as membranous substrates that mediate the growth of CaCO_3 crystals. Spherulitic vaterite aggregates with helical extensions, and distorted calcite crystals that contain spiral pits, have been produced. A correlation has been noted between the structures of the crystalline films and those of the crystal aggregates associated with them: i.e. films of spherulitic texture yield electron diffraction patterns characteristic of vaterite and support the growth of spherulitic vaterite aggregates whereas calcitic single-crystal mosaic films carry rhombohedral calicite crystals. These films and aggregates exhibit features reminiscent of the morphologies observed in biogenic minerals.
Additional Information
© 1998 Elsevier. Received 6 May 1997; accepted 4 November 1997. We thank S.A. Morse for his guidance on the conoscopic analysis, and L. Addadi, J. Thomas and A. Waddon for useful discussions. This work was financially supported by the National Science Foundation Materials Research Science and Engineering Center at the University of Massachusetts.Additional details
- Eprint ID
- 53434
- DOI
- 10.1016/S0022-0248(98)00002-5
- Resolver ID
- CaltechAUTHORS:GOWjcg1998
- NSF
- Created
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2015-02-06Created from EPrint's datestamp field
- Updated
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2021-11-10Created from EPrint's last_modified field