Biogenic and biomimetic carbonate formation from ACC and PILP precursors

Abstract

Biologically formed hard tissues are highly valued prototypes for the synthesis of new materials because of their remarkable structures and evolved mechanical properties. Hierarchical architectures, a composite material design and a strong crystallographic control exerted during the precipitation of bioinorganic crystals characterize these materials. We discuss results about carbonate crystal nucleation and growth from both, the PILP and the biologic ACC precursor phases. Crystal nucleation and growth has been observed in-situ (with light-microscopy and TEM imaging), crystal orientation patterns were recorded by using diffraction methods in SEM (EBSD) and TEM.