Formation of biomimetic calcite-gelatin/agarose composites: Gel occlusion, aggregate co-orientation and Mg content)

Trabajo presentado en la XXXVI Reunión de la Sociedad Española de Mineralogía, celebrada en Oviedo (España) del 4 al 7 de julio de 2017Biological hard tissues such as shells, bones and teeth are mineral-organic composite materials with enhanced mechanical properties. In the case of carbonate biological hard tissues, the organic component consists of a mixture of proteins, glycoproteins and polysaccharides, arranged to define a matrix of membranes and of fibrils. The most common mineral component is nanoparticulated calcium carbonate, calcite or aragonite. The characteristics of calcite crystal aggregation and its organization into hierarchical orientation patterns is mediated by the organic matrix, which becomes occluded within the mineral component during the formation of the hard tissue.This research is part of the GermanSpanish Joint Acciones Integradas Program (AIB2010 DE-0008), DAAD50749739. This research was partially funded by projects CGL2013-47988-C2- 01-P and CGL2016-77138-C2-1-P (MECC-Spain)Peer reviewe