Architecture of columnar nacre, and implications for its formation mechanism.
We analyze the structure of Haliotis rufescens nacre, or mother-of-pearl, using synchrotron spectromicroscopy and x-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy. We observe imaging contrast between adjacent individual nacre tablets, arising because different tablets have different crystal orientations with respect to the radiation's polarization vector. Comparing previous data and our new data with models for columnar nacre growth, we find the data are most consistent with a model in which nacre tablets are nucleated by randomly distributed sites in the organic matrix layers.
Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA.
Rebecca A
RA
Metzler
Mike
M
Abrecht
Ronke M
RM
Olabisi
Daniel
D
Ariosa
Christopher J
CJ
Johnson
Bradley H
BH
Frazer
Susan N
SN
Coppersmith
P U P A
PU
Gilbert
D000818:Animals; D001703:Biophysics / Q000379:methods*; D002113:Calcification, Physiologic; D002119:Calcium Carbonate / Q000737:chemistry*; D002627:Chemistry, Physical / Q000379:methods*; D003460:Crystallization; D008974:Mollusca; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry; D017356:Synchrotrons; D013607:Tablets; D014965:X-Rays
D013607:Tablets; D002119:Calcium Carbonate; D010100:Oxygen