| dc.description.abstract | Living organisms have evolved a vast diversity of mineralized structures through mechanisms that often are significantly different from those used by the materials engineer. These biomaterials often exhibit a fine-scale microstructure with variable porosity, unusual crystal habits and morphologies, and remarkable mechanical, optical, or other interesting physical properties. Among other biominer-alizing systems, the avian eggshell is one of the most interesting models. Its distinctive features, relative to the characteristics of other mineralized systems, are the nature of the mineral deposit, the absence of cells intermixed with the mineralized structure, and the rapidity of the mineralization of the avian eggshell, this being the most rapid biomineralization process known. Due to an absence of cells in the eggshell, the interaction between organic matrices and inorganic crystals can be studied in this system without interference by cells that normally populate other biomineralizing systems. In addition, the different components of the eggshell can easily be separated, so that their properties can be exploited for a variety of purposes. This chapter emphasizes the use of avian eggshell components as support materials for immobilization and adsorption, as a template for crystal growth, as a reinforcement in composite materials, and in biomedical applications. | |
