Biomimetic Nucleation and Morphology Control of CaCO3 in PAAm Hydrogels Synthesized from Lyotropic Liquid Crystalline Templates

Hydrogels have been thought to be the material which call provide appealing replacements of biological organisms Pores of hydrogels synthesized from lyotrophic liquid crystalline (LLC) templates were smaller in size and more uniform than those of traditional hydrogels. LLC poly-acrylamide (PAAm) hydrogels were used as the growth media of CaCO3. After copolymerized with acrylic acid and 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid (AMPS). LLC hydrogels were modified with COOH and SO3H, respectively The effect of functional groups on the biomimetic metic mineralization of CaCO3 wa studied. Most of crystals from traditional hydrogels are rhombohedral and could not form aggregates Only a few could aggregate and have a particular morphology with irregular Orientation of subcrystal Compared with crystals separated from traditional hydrogels. crystals growing in the LLC hydroocls were much more regulated and could form aggregates with particular morphology and regular orientation that is, face (104) of rhombohedral subcrystals parallel to the surface of the macrocrystals. Modification of COOh and SO3H groups made CaCO3 subscrystal align more tightly COOH had minor influences on the crystal orientation and small modification to the aggregate morphology. SO3H groups could change the crystal orientation and morphology effectively The aggregates are pseudo-spherical and the face perpedicularity to the face (104) parallels to the surface of the aggregate