Symbiosis of Silica Biomorphs and Magnetite Mesocrystals

Symbiosis of Silica Biomorphs and Magnetite Mesocrystals

Opel, J., Brunner, J., Zimmermanns, R., Steegmans, T., Sturm, E., Kellermeier, M., … & García‐Ruiz, J. M. (2019). Symbiosis of Silica Biomorphs and Magnetite Mesocrystals. Advanced Functional Materials, 29(37), 1902047. Download here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/adfm.201902047 Silica biomorphs are extraordinary inorganic superstructures formed via autocatalytic co‐precipitation and bottom‐up self‐assembly of alkaline‐earth carbonates and silica. However, they show no inherent functionality except for their striking textural motifs and curved morphologies. This work presents strategies to magnetize silica biomorphs, thus creating thermally…

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Hybrid Biomimetic Materials from Silica/Carbonate Biomorphs

Hybrid Biomimetic Materials from Silica/Carbonate Biomorphs

Opel, J., Unglaube, N., Wörner, M., Kellermeier, M., Cölfen, H., & García-Ruiz, J. M. (2019). Hybrid biomimetic materials from silica/carbonate biomorphs. Crystals, 9(3), 157. Download here: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4352/9/3/157 The formation of a polymer protection layer around fragile mineral architectures ensures that structures stay intact even after treatments that would normally destroy them going along with a total loss of textural information. Here we present a strategy to preserve the shape of silica-carbonate biomorphs with polymers. This method converts…

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A Universal Geochemical Scenario for Formamide Condensation and Prebiotic Chemistry

A Universal Geochemical Scenario for Formamide Condensation and Prebiotic Chemistry

Saladino, R., Di Mauro, E., & García‐Ruiz, J. M. (2019). A Universal Geochemical Scenario for Formamide Condensation and Prebiotic Chemistry. Chemistry–A European Journal, 25(13), 3181-3189. Download here: https://chemistry-europe.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/chem.201803889 The condensation of formamide has been shown to be a robust chemical pathway affording molecules necessary for the origin of life. It has been experimentally demonstrated that condensation reactions of formamide are catalyzed by a number of minerals, including silicates, phosphates, sulfides, zirconia, and borates, and by cosmic dusts…

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Thermal assisted self-organization of calcium carbonate

Thermal assisted self-organization of calcium carbonate

Zhang, G., Verdugo-Escamilla, C., Choquesillo-Lazarte, D., & García-Ruiz, J. M. (2018). Thermal assisted self-organization of calcium carbonate. Nature communications, 9(1), 1-7. Download here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-07658-0.pdf Fabrication of mineral multi-textured architectures by self-organization is a formidable challenge for engineering. Current approaches follow a biomimetic route for hybrid materials based on the coupling of carbonate and organic compounds. We explore here the chemical coupling of silica and carbonate, leading to fabrication of inorganic–inorganic biomimetic structures known as silica-carbonate biomorphs. So…

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A crystallographic study of crystalline casts and pseudomorphs from the 3.5 Ga Dresser Formation, Pilbara Craton (Australia)

A crystallographic study of crystalline casts and pseudomorphs from the 3.5 Ga Dresser Formation, Pilbara Craton (Australia)

Otálora, F., Mazurier, A., Garcia-Ruiz, J. M., Van Kranendonk, M. J., Kotopoulou, E., El Albani, A., & Garrido, C. J. (2018). A crystallographic study of crystalline casts and pseudomorphs from the 3.5 Ga Dresser Formation, Pilbara Craton (Australia). Journal of applied crystallography, 51(4), 1050-1058.  Download here: https://journals.iucr.org/j/issues/2018/04/00/jo5036/jo5036.pdf Crystallography has a long history of providing knowledge and methods for applications in other disciplines. The identification of minerals using X-ray diffraction is one of the most important contributions of…

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New publication on ”Mineral self-organization on a lifeless planet”

New publication on ”Mineral self-organization on a lifeless planet”

We are pleased to announce that our new review article entitled ”Mineral self-organization on a lifeless planet” is now available on line: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plrev.2020.01.001 García-Ruiz, J. M., van Zuilen, M., & Bach, W. (2020). Mineral self-organization on a lifeless planet. Physics of Life Reviews. It has been experimentally demonstrated that, under alkaline conditions, silica is able to induce the formation of mineral self-assembled inorganic-inorganic composite materials similar in morphology, texture and nanostructure to the hybrid biomineral structures…

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Temperature can control the growth of biomorphs

Temperature can control the growth of biomorphs

Biomorphs are silica and carbonate materials capable of assembling themselves to create symmetries, forms and structures similar to those of living organisms. The results of this CSIC study have been published in the journal ‘Nature Communications’. Calcium carbonate is the mineral most used by living organisms to build complex structures with excellent mechanical properties that they use as exoskeletons. To make them, they only need calcium from sea or river water, carbon dioxide from the…

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Silica Metal Oxide Vesicles Catalyze Comprehensive Prebiotic Chemistry

Silica Metal Oxide Vesicles Catalyze Comprehensive Prebiotic Chemistry

Mattia Bizzarri, B.; Botta, L.; Perez-Valverde, M. I.; Saladino, R.; Di Mauro, E.; Garcia-Ruiz, J. M., Silica Metal Oxide Vesicles Catalyze Comprehensive Prebiotic Chemistry. Chemistry (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany) 2018, 24 (32), 8126-8132. Download paper. It has recently been demonstrated that mineral self‐assembled structures catalyzing prebiotic chemical reactions may form in natural waters derived from serpentinization, a geological process widespread in the early stages of Earth‐like planets. We have synthesized self‐assembled membranes by mixing…

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A morphogram for silica-witherite biomorphs and its application to microfossil identification in the early earth rock record

A morphogram for silica-witherite biomorphs and its application to microfossil identification in the early earth rock record

Rouillard, J.; Garcia-Ruiz, J. M.; Gong, J.; van Zuilen, M. A., A morphogram for silica-witherite biomorphs and its application to microfossil identification in the early earth rock record. Geobiology 2018. Download paper. Archean hydrothermal environments formed a likely site for the origin and early evolution of life. These are also the settings, however, were complex abiologic structures can form. Low-temperature serpentinization of ultramafic crust can generate alkaline, silica-saturated fluids in which carbonate-silica crystalline aggregates with…

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Structural Transition of Inorganic Silica-Carbonate Composites Towards Curved Lifelike Morphologies

Structural Transition of Inorganic Silica-Carbonate Composites Towards Curved Lifelike Morphologies

Opel, J.; Kellermeier, M.; Sickinger, A.; Morales, J.; Coelfen, H.; Garcia-Ruiz, J.-M., Structural Transition of Inorganic Silica-Carbonate Composites Towards Curved Lifelike Morphologies. Minerals 2018, 8 (2). Download paper. The self-assembly of alkaline earth carbonates in the presence of silica at high pH leads to a unique class of composite materials displaying a broad variety of self-assembled superstructures with complex morphologies. A detailed understanding of the formation process of these purely inorganic architectures is crucial for…

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