Hydroxyl-rich macromolecules enable the bio-inspired synthesis of single crystal nanocomposites.

摘要: Acidic macromolecules are traditionally considered key to calcium carbonate biomineralisation and have long been first choice in the bio-inspired synthesis of crystalline materials. Here, we challenge this view demonstrate that low-charge can vastly outperform their acidic counterparts nanocomposites. Using gold nanoparticles functionalised with low charge, hydroxyl-rich proteins homopolymers as growth additives, show extremely high concentrations be incorporated within calcite single crystals, while maintaining continuity lattice original rhombohedral morphologies crystals. The perfectly dispersed host crystal at so closely apposed they exhibit plasmon coupling induce an unexpected contraction lattice. versatility strategy is then demonstrated by extension alternative This simple scalable occlusion approach opens door a novel class