Stable prenucleation mineral clusters are liquid-like ionic polymers
Calcium carbonate is an abundant substance that can be created in several mineral forms by the reaction of dissolved carbon dioxide in water with calcium ions. Through biomineralisation, organisms can harness and control this process to form various functional materials that can act as anything from...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
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Macmillan Publishers Limited
2011
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/41317 |
| _version_ | 1848756111378743296 |
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| author | Demichelis, Raffaella Raiteri, Paolo Gale, Julian Quigley, D. Gebauer, D. |
| author_facet | Demichelis, Raffaella Raiteri, Paolo Gale, Julian Quigley, D. Gebauer, D. |
| author_sort | Demichelis, Raffaella |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Calcium carbonate is an abundant substance that can be created in several mineral forms by the reaction of dissolved carbon dioxide in water with calcium ions. Through biomineralisation, organisms can harness and control this process to form various functional materials that can act as anything from shells through to lenses. The early stages of calcium carbonate formation have recently attracted attention since stable pre-nucleation clusters have been observed, contrary to classical models. Using computer simulations, combined with the analysis of experimental data, we show that these first formed mineral clusters are made of an ionic polymer, composed of alternating calcium and carbonate ions, with a dynamic topology consisting of chains, branches and rings. The existence of a disordered, flexible and strongly hydrated precursor provides a basis for explaining the formation of other liquid-like amorphous states of calcium carbonate, in addition to the non-classical behaviour during growth of amorphous calcium carbonate. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T09:07:00Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-41317 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T09:07:00Z |
| publishDate | 2011 |
| publisher | Macmillan Publishers Limited |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-413172017-09-13T16:00:27Z Stable prenucleation mineral clusters are liquid-like ionic polymers Demichelis, Raffaella Raiteri, Paolo Gale, Julian Quigley, D. Gebauer, D. stable prenucleation mineral clusters ionic polymers Calcium carbonate is an abundant substance that can be created in several mineral forms by the reaction of dissolved carbon dioxide in water with calcium ions. Through biomineralisation, organisms can harness and control this process to form various functional materials that can act as anything from shells through to lenses. The early stages of calcium carbonate formation have recently attracted attention since stable pre-nucleation clusters have been observed, contrary to classical models. Using computer simulations, combined with the analysis of experimental data, we show that these first formed mineral clusters are made of an ionic polymer, composed of alternating calcium and carbonate ions, with a dynamic topology consisting of chains, branches and rings. The existence of a disordered, flexible and strongly hydrated precursor provides a basis for explaining the formation of other liquid-like amorphous states of calcium carbonate, in addition to the non-classical behaviour during growth of amorphous calcium carbonate. 2011 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/41317 10.1038/ncomms1604 Macmillan Publishers Limited fulltext |
| spellingShingle | stable prenucleation mineral clusters ionic polymers Demichelis, Raffaella Raiteri, Paolo Gale, Julian Quigley, D. Gebauer, D. Stable prenucleation mineral clusters are liquid-like ionic polymers |
| title | Stable prenucleation mineral clusters are liquid-like ionic polymers |
| title_full | Stable prenucleation mineral clusters are liquid-like ionic polymers |
| title_fullStr | Stable prenucleation mineral clusters are liquid-like ionic polymers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Stable prenucleation mineral clusters are liquid-like ionic polymers |
| title_short | Stable prenucleation mineral clusters are liquid-like ionic polymers |
| title_sort | stable prenucleation mineral clusters are liquid-like ionic polymers |
| topic | stable prenucleation mineral clusters ionic polymers |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/41317 |