Study of the chemical and physical influences upon in vitro peptide-mediated silica formation.

Herein, we report on the ability to create complex 2-D and 3-D silica networks in vitro via polycationic peptide-mediated biosilicification under experimentally altered chemical and physical influences. These structures differ from the sphere-like silica network of particles obtained in vitro under static conditions. Under chemical influences, overall morphologies were observed to shift from a characteristic network of sphere-like silica particles to a sheetlike structure in the presence of -OH groups from additives and to sharp-edged, platelike structures in the presence of larger polycationic peptide matrixes.