0000000000052092
AUTHOR
Raúl A. Barrea
Carbonate-coordinated metal complexes precede the formation of liquid amorphous mineral emulsions of divalent metal carbonates†
During the mineralisation of metal carbonates MCO3 (M = Ca, Sr, Ba, Mn, Cd, Pb) liquid-like amorphous intermediates emerge. These intermediates that form via a liquid/liquid phase separation behave like a classical emulsion and are stabilized electrostatically. The occurrence of these intermediates is attributed to the formation of highly hydrated networks whose stability is mainly based on weak interactions and the variability of the metal-containing pre-critical clusters. Their existence and compositional freedom are evidenced by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). Liquid intermediates in non-classical crystallisation pathways seem to be more common than assumed.
X-ray fluorescence analysis by the fundamental parameters method without explicit knowledge of the excitation beam spectrum
The results of analyses carried out with the fundamental parameters method without explicit knowledge of the beam exciting the sample are presented. The excitation beam is described by means of the fluorescence produced by a set of thick or thin targets of pure chemical elements. The results are compared with those obtained by using a semi-empirical model and an adjusted spectrum model, all sets of results being in turn compared with the actual chemical composition of the samples. It is concluded that the description of the excitation beam by means of the fluorescence produced on targets of pure elements is suitable for use with the fundamental parameters method. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley…
Merging models of biomineralisation with concepts of nonclassical crystallisation: is a liquid amorphous precursor involved in the formation of the prismatic layer of the Mediterranean Fan Mussel Pinna nobilis?
16 pages; International audience; The calcitic prisms of Pinna nobilis (Pinnidae, Linnaeus 1758) are shown to be perfect examples of a mesocrystalline material. Based on their ultrastructure and on the occurrence of an amorphous transient precursor during the early stages of prism formation, we provide evidence for the pathway of mesocrystallisation proposed by Seto et al. (2012), which proceeds not by self-organized oriented attachment of crystalline nano-bricks but by aggregation of initially amorphous nanogranules which later transform by epitaxial nucleation to a threedimensional array of well aligned nanocrystals. We further fathom the role of a liquid amorphous calcium carbonate in bi…
Strong stabilization of amorphous calcium carbonate emulsion by ovalbumin: gaining insight into the mechanism of 'polymer-induced liquid precursor' processes.
8 pages; International audience; The impact of the ovo proteins ovalbumin and lysozyme-present in the first stage of egg shell formation-on the homogeneous formation of the liquid amorphous calcium carbonate (LACC) precursor, was studied by a combination of complementing methods: in situ WAXS, SANS, XANES, TEM, and immunogold labeling. Lysozyme (pI = 9.3) destabilizes the LACC emulsion whereas the glycoprotein ovalbumin (pI = 4.7) extends the lifespan of the emulsified state remarkably. In the light of the presented data: (a) Ovalbumin is shown to behave commensurable to the 'polymer-induced liquid precursor' (PILP) process proposed by Gower et al. Ovalbumin can be assumed to take a key rol…