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.
Metzler
Rebecca A
RA
Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA.
Abrecht
Mike
M
Olabisi
Ronke M
RM
Ariosa
Daniel
D
Johnson
Christopher J
CJ
Frazer
Bradley H
BH
Coppersmith
Susan N
SN
Gilbert
P U P A
PU
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