Crystallization by Amorphous Particle Attachment and the Evolution of Texture in Biogenic Calcium Carbonate

The study of the formation-structure-function-relationships of bio-composites has deepened our understanding of evolution driven materials engineering, and has provided biomimetic inspiration for their application. An important example is the biomineralization process of calcium carbonate through amorphous precursors that are morphed into shapes and textural patterns that cannot be produced by the classical monomer-by-monomer approach but instead crystallize by particle attachment (CPA). CPA is a gradual process where each step has its own thermodynamic and kinetic constraints defining a unique pathway of crystal growth [1,2]. 4DSTEM with to calcite phase formation teach us fundamental new that profound on non-classical crystal The analysis establishes a mechanistic link between the emergence of and the cumulative growth rate by amorphous particle accretion.