Polymer-controlled crystallization of unique mineral superstructures.
The origin of complex superstructures of biomaterials in biological systems and the amazing self-assembly mechanisms of their emergence have attracted a great deal of attention recently. Mimicking nature, diverse kinds of hydrophilic polymers with different functionalities and organic insoluble matrices have been designed for the morphogenesis of inorganic crystals. In this Research News, emerging new strategies for morphogenesis and controlled crystal growth of minerals, that is, selective adsorption and mesoscale transformation for highly ordered superstructures, the combination of a synthetic hydrophilic polymer with an insoluble matrix, a substrate, or the air/solution interface, and controlled crystallization in a mixed solvent are highlighted. It is shown that these new strategies can be even further extended to morphogenesis and controlled crystallization of diverse inorganic or inorganic-organic hybrid materials with structural complexity, structural specialties, and improved functionalities.
Chen
Shao-Feng
SF
Division of Nanomaterials and Chemistry, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, P. R. China.
Zhu
Jian-Hua
JH
Jiang
Jun
J
Cai
Guo-Bin
GB
Yu
Shu-Hong
SH
D000327:Adsorption; D002119:Calcium Carbonate / Q000737:chemistry; D003460:Crystallization; D008903:Minerals / Q000737:chemistry*; D057139:Nanofibers / Q000737:chemistry; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*
D008903:Minerals; D011108:Polymers; D002119:Calcium Carbonate