Biomimetic modulation of crystal morphology using gel: From nano to micron-scale architectures

Various in vitro studies have been used to elucidate the roles of matrix molecules in the processes of biomineralization. Among these, gel-diffusion–precipitation methodology is unique. This effective method is capable of characterizing the effects of matrix molecules on mineralization while only using very small quantities of material. Here we discuss the versatility of agar–agar and agarose gel in morphosynthesis of different calcium and barium minerals. Crystalline nano to micron-scale superstructures of these minerals were characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), FT-IR, thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) analysis.