This volume focuses on the application of advanced methods to scrutinise existing paradigms in biomineralization and improve our understanding of mineralisation across length scales by bringing together different communities including world-leading experts in relevant imaging and spectroscopy techniques with the biomineralization community.
It becomes increasingly clear that the relationship between structure and function of hierarchical biominerals can only be understood by connecting the length scales and interrogating comprehensively the impact of atomic-level organisation and the multi-level assembly of the resulting composites. This Faraday Discussion focuses on the application of advanced methods to scrutinise existing paradigms in biomineralization and improve our understanding of mineralisation across length scales by bringing together different communities including world-leading experts in relevant imaging and spectroscopy techniques with the biomineralization community where these methods are commonly used.
Crystal nucleation in biominerals
This section focuses on understanding events occurring at the atomic scale
during the formation of biominerals: crystal nucleation under biological
conditions, the interaction between ions and nuclei with biomacromolecules,
the role of amorphous precursor phases and the role of kinetics and
thermodynamics in determining polymorph type, crystal nucleation and
morphology.
Interfaces at the nano scale
This section focuses on high resolution imaging techniques to characterise
crystal growth at the nanoscale under biological conditions and the
mechanisms leading to the assembly of nano-crystalline building blocks into
ordered polycrystalline structures.
Interfaces at the micron scale
This section discusses techniques that are suitable for bridging the gap
between the nano- and micron scales for the characterisation of the structure
of biominerals. Covering both synchrotron X-ray-based imaging and electron
microscopy techniques that address different length scales.
Connecting length scales
After dedicating the previous sections to characterizing the structure of
biominerals can be characterised at different length scales, this section
puts it all together and discusses how the structure and formation of
biominerals can be addressed using a range of techniques that can bridge all
length scales from the atomic to the micro-scales.
Faraday Discussions documents a long-established series of Faraday Discussion meetings which provide a unique international forum for the exchange of views and newly acquired results in developing areas of physical chemistry, biophysical chemistry and chemical physics. The papers presented are published in the Faraday Discussion volume together with a record of the discussion contributions made at the meeting. Faraday Discussions therefore provide an important record of current international knowledge and views in the field concerned. The latest (2023) impact factor of Faraday Discussions is 3.3.
