Preparation of Calcite and Aragonite Complex Layer Materials Inspired from Biomineralization

Abstract

Abalone shell is natural inorganic/organic hybrid material, which is biologically constructed by using two calcium carbonates, aragonite and calcite. Aragonite can provide an enhanced mechanical support for the shell, and the stable phase, calcite, acts as the outer layer. In the current study, large-area aragonite film is deposited onto a calcite film in the presence of magnesium ion to biomimetically construct an aragonite-calcite complex structure. A calcite film is fabricated on a silicon wafer by a controlled phase transformation of amorphous calcium carbonate film at 120 degrees C, which is used as a substrate to induce the deposition of the aragonite layer with the addition of magnesium ion. We demonstrated the importance of the transition process from calcite to aragonite during the formation of the aragonite-calcite complex layer. This study could be used to mimic a sharp transition process of calcite to aragonite in vitro without any organic macromolecules.