TY - JOUR
T1 - Using bacteria to make improved, nacre-inspired materials
AU - Schmieden, Dominik
AU - Meyer, Anne
AU - Aubin-Tam, Marie-Eve
N1 - Accepted Author Manuscript
PY - 2016
Y1 - 2016
N2 - Nacre (mother of pearl) is an attractive model for the development of new materials. Its sheet structure of alternating layers of calcium carbonate and an organic matrix confers it highly desirable properties such as high toughness and strength. In this study, we produce a nacre-inspired composite material using only bacterially-produced components. Calcium carbonate is crystallized via the action of ureolytic bacteria. After each crystallization event, we apply bacterially produced γ-polyglutamate (PGA) to the sample, which promotes layering compared to the PGA-free control. We show that the combination of these two compounds yields a layered material reminiscent of nacre, showing a way towards the biotechnological production of new, nacre-inspired materials.
AB - Nacre (mother of pearl) is an attractive model for the development of new materials. Its sheet structure of alternating layers of calcium carbonate and an organic matrix confers it highly desirable properties such as high toughness and strength. In this study, we produce a nacre-inspired composite material using only bacterially-produced components. Calcium carbonate is crystallized via the action of ureolytic bacteria. After each crystallization event, we apply bacterially produced γ-polyglutamate (PGA) to the sample, which promotes layering compared to the PGA-free control. We show that the combination of these two compounds yields a layered material reminiscent of nacre, showing a way towards the biotechnological production of new, nacre-inspired materials.
UR - http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:97358ed7-e459-4d91-a126-7685d902fe99
U2 - 10.1557/adv.2016.150
DO - 10.1557/adv.2016.150
M3 - Article
SN - 2059-8521
VL - 1
SP - 559
EP - 564
JO - MRS Advances
JF - MRS Advances
IS - 8
ER -