CRYSTALLIZATION AT INORGANIC-ORGANIC INTERFACES - BIOMINERALS AND BIOMIMETIC SYNTHESIS

Crystallization is an important process in a wide range of scientific disciplines including chemistry, physics, biology, geology, and materi als science. Recent investigations of biomineralization indicate that specific molecular interactions at inorganic-organic interfaces can re sult in the controlled nucleation and growth of inorganic crystals. Sy nthetic systems have highlighted the importance of electrostatic bindi ng or association, geometric matching (epitaxis), and stereochemical c orrespondence in these recognition processes. Similarly, organic molec ules in solution can influence the morphology of inorganic crystals if there is molecular complementarity at the crystal-additive interface. A biomimetic approach based on these principles could lead to the dev elopment of new strategies in the controlled synthesis of inorganic na nophases, the crystal engineering of bulk solids, and the assembly of organized composite and ceramic materials.