THE NUCLEATION AND GROWTH OF CALCIUM-OXALATE MONOHYDRATE ON SELF-ASSEMBLED MONOLAYERS (SAMS)

A physical chemical approach was used to study calcium oxalate monohyd rate (COM) nucleation and growth on various organic interfaces. Self-a ssembling monolayers (SAMs), containing derivatized organic functional groups, were designed to mimic various amino acid residues present in both urine and stone matrix macromolecules. Derivatized surfaces incl ude SAMs with terminal methyl, bromo, imidazole, and thiazolidine-carb oxylic acid functional groups. Pronounced differences in COM depositio n were observed for the various interfaces with the imidazole and thia zolidine surfaces having the greatest effect and the methyl and bromo groups having little or no nucleating potential.