Mechanically tunable inter-bonding, assembly and macrostructures of nanoparticles in biominerals
by Tian, Z.; Hua, Licheng
The enormous progress to date in the controlled nanosyntheses of different nanomaterials has naturally called for the development of new methods for constructing the nanomaterials into three-dimensional (3D) functional macrostructures, which stimulates us to understand, measure and control the bonding between 0D- and 1D-nanoparticles large and small. Here we report a new study on the self-assembled nanocrystals in both mammal teeth enamel and seashells by means of the X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and at. force microscope (AFM). The self-assembly bonding energy long-unmeasurable thermodynamically has been measured mech. Thus-based mechanonanochem. has complemented the classic chem. thermodn., and further revealed that the nanoparticles' inter-bonding and structural 3D-assembling in the biominerals are mech. tunable at ambient temperature and pressure on demand. This new branch of the nanochem. can help not only produce new materials from fine nanoparticles by design at ultralow-cost in future, but also develop new treatments to protect the teeth from the dehydration damage for patients of all walks with the dry mouth syndrome.