Abstract
A variety of life-like « biomorphs » can be grown by co-precipitation of silica and alkaline-earth carbonates at high pH. Forms include twisted filaments and sheets, that are indistinguishable from microscopic inclusions in ancient rocks, commonly identified as ancient microfossils. Biomorphs are spectacular examples of self-assembled inorganic colloids, forming composites of nm-sized rod-shaped carbonate nanocrystals and colloidal amorphous silica spheres. The structural complexity of these materials, with orientational and translational order/disorder at distinct length scales, is reminiscent of many hard biomaterials, such as bone.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 4-6 |
| Number of pages | 3 |
| Journal | Actualite Chimique |
| Issue number | 275 |
| Publication status | Published - May 2004 |