Ordered silica mineralization by regulating local reaction conditions.

ABSTRACT

Using cationic peptides with tetramethyl orthosilicate, a silica nano-film >100 µm in size with <100 nm thickness was constructed under physiological conditions. Control of silica nucleation speed and location was found to be the dominant factor affecting the ordered architecture. Our approach adds new insight into bottom-up nanomaterial construction and contributes to evaluating the silica mineralization system in living organisms.