Formation mechanism of CaCO3 spherulites in myostracum layer of limpet sahells

Shitao Wu; Chang-Yang Chiang; Wuzong Zhou

doi:10.3390/cryst7100319

Formation mechanism of CaCO₃ spherulites in myostracum layer of limpet sahells

Shitao Wu, Chang-Yang Chiang, Wuzong Zhou

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

CaCO₃ spherulites were found in the myostracum layer of common limpet shells collected from East Sands, St Andrews, Scotland. Their microstructures were revealed by using powder X- ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis. The formation mechanisms of these spherulites and their morphology evolution were postulated. It was proposed that spherical particles of an inorganic and biological composite formed first. In the centre of each spherical particle was developed a double-layer disk of vaterite crystal sandwiching a biological sheet. The disk crystal supplies a relatively strong mirror symmetric dipole filed, guiding the orientations of the nanocrystallites and the arrangement of mesorods, and therefore, determining the final morphology of the spherulite.

Original language	English
Article number	319
Journal	Crystals
Volume	7
Issue number	10
Early online date	23 Oct 2017
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst7100319
Publication status	Published - Oct 2017

Keywords

CaCO3
Spherulite
Biomineralization
limpet shells
Electron microscopy
Dipole field

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10.3390/cryst7100319Licence: CC BY

Zhou_2017_Crystals_Formation_CCBY-VoR
© 2017 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Final published version, 7.47 MBLicence: CC BY

Equipment Account: Characterisation and Manipulation of Advanced Functional Materials and their Interfaces at the Nanoscale
Samuel, I. D. W. (PI)
EPSRC
1/10/13 → 30/09/23
Project: Standard
Structuring the Future: Structuring the Future - Underpinning world-leading science in EaStCHEM through cutting edge characterisation
Woollins, J. D. (PI), Ashbrook, S. E. (CoI), Morris, R. E. (CoI) & Slawin, A. M. Z. (CoI)
EPSRC
1/01/13 → 31/03/13
Project: Standard
EP/F019580/1 - Electron Microscopy: Electron Microscopy of Advanced Materials
Zhou, W. (PI), Irvine, J. T. S. (CoI) & Miller, A. (CoI)
EPSRC
1/10/07 → 31/03/12
Project: Standard

Cite this

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title = "Formation mechanism of CaCO3 spherulites in myostracum layer of limpet sahells",

abstract = "CaCO3 spherulites were found in the myostracum layer of common limpet shells collected from East Sands, St Andrews, Scotland. Their microstructures were revealed by using powder X- ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis. The formation mechanisms of these spherulites and their morphology evolution were postulated. It was proposed that spherical particles of an inorganic and biological composite formed first. In the centre of each spherical particle was developed a double-layer disk of vaterite crystal sandwiching a biological sheet. The disk crystal supplies a relatively strong mirror symmetric dipole filed, guiding the orientations of the nanocrystallites and the arrangement of mesorods, and therefore, determining the final morphology of the spherulite. ",

keywords = "CaCO3, Spherulite, Biomineralization, limpet shells, Electron microscopy, Dipole field",

author = "Shitao Wu and Chang-Yang Chiang and Wuzong Zhou",

note = "The authors would like to thank EPSRC for financial support on FEG-SEM equipment (EP/F019580/1) and FEI Scios dualbeam microscope (EP/L017008/01).",

year = "2017",

month = oct,

doi = "10.3390/cryst7100319",

language = "English",

volume = "7",

journal = "Crystals",

issn = "2073-4352",

publisher = "MDPI AG",

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T1 - Formation mechanism of CaCO3 spherulites in myostracum layer of limpet sahells

AU - Wu, Shitao

AU - Chiang, Chang-Yang

AU - Zhou, Wuzong

N1 - The authors would like to thank EPSRC for financial support on FEG-SEM equipment (EP/F019580/1) and FEI Scios dualbeam microscope (EP/L017008/01).

PY - 2017/10

Y1 - 2017/10

N2 - CaCO3 spherulites were found in the myostracum layer of common limpet shells collected from East Sands, St Andrews, Scotland. Their microstructures were revealed by using powder X- ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis. The formation mechanisms of these spherulites and their morphology evolution were postulated. It was proposed that spherical particles of an inorganic and biological composite formed first. In the centre of each spherical particle was developed a double-layer disk of vaterite crystal sandwiching a biological sheet. The disk crystal supplies a relatively strong mirror symmetric dipole filed, guiding the orientations of the nanocrystallites and the arrangement of mesorods, and therefore, determining the final morphology of the spherulite.

AB - CaCO3 spherulites were found in the myostracum layer of common limpet shells collected from East Sands, St Andrews, Scotland. Their microstructures were revealed by using powder X- ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis. The formation mechanisms of these spherulites and their morphology evolution were postulated. It was proposed that spherical particles of an inorganic and biological composite formed first. In the centre of each spherical particle was developed a double-layer disk of vaterite crystal sandwiching a biological sheet. The disk crystal supplies a relatively strong mirror symmetric dipole filed, guiding the orientations of the nanocrystallites and the arrangement of mesorods, and therefore, determining the final morphology of the spherulite.

KW - CaCO3

KW - Spherulite

KW - Biomineralization

KW - limpet shells

KW - Electron microscopy

KW - Dipole field

U2 - 10.3390/cryst7100319

DO - 10.3390/cryst7100319

M3 - Article

SN - 2073-4352

VL - 7

JO - Crystals

JF - Crystals

IS - 10

M1 - 319

ER -

Formation mechanism of CaCO3 spherulites in myostracum layer of limpet sahells

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Projects

Equipment Account: Characterisation and Manipulation of Advanced Functional Materials and their Interfaces at the Nanoscale

Structuring the Future: Structuring the Future - Underpinning world-leading science in EaStCHEM through cutting edge characterisation

EP/F019580/1 - Electron Microscopy: Electron Microscopy of Advanced Materials

Cite this

Formation mechanism of CaCO₃ spherulites in myostracum layer of limpet sahells