Controlling the bio-inspired synthesis of silica.

The influence of different parameters on the silicification procedure using lysozyme is reported. When polyethoxysiloxane (PEOS), an internally crosslinked silica reservoir, is used, regular structures with a narrow size distribution could be obtained only via introducing the silica precursor in two steps including initial dropping and subsequent addition of residual oil phase in one portion. We found that mixing sequence of mineralizing agents in the presence of a positively charged surfactant plays a key role in terms of silica precipitation when tetraethoxyorthosilicate (TEOS) is the oil phase.

On the incorporation of functionalities into hydroxyapatite capsules.

Nature is capable of building materials with tailor-made properties under ambient conditions for specific applications. We apply some of the basic building principles of biomineralization in this paper: we stabilize an oil/water emulsion with the protein hydrophobin and mineralize this emulsion, resulting in hollow mineral capsules. The use of an emulsion as a liquid template enables precise size control over the final capsules.