Comparison on regulation of calcium phosphate by organic monolayer, unilamellar phospholipid vesicles and hydrothermal self-assembly

Biomineralization centers on the idea that organics control the nucleation, growth and final form of inorganics. The present studies investigated the deposition or precipitation of inorganics templated by organic monolayer films, unilamellar phospholipid vesicles, and self-assembled hexadecylamine, with the emphasis on the regulation of template on phase, orientation and microstructure of minerals. The obtained calcium phosphate varied from the thin layer precipitated on the organic monolayer to the confined particles formed inside the lipid vesicles to the mesolamellar structure self-organized in the precursor soi-gel. The typically regulated features of these three systems have been revealed. Consequently, the different phases of calcium phosphate can be obtained through variation of controllable parameters.