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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: GR/N65585/01
Title: NOVEL MACROPOROUS INORGANIC MATERIALS BY BIOMINERAL TEMPLATING
Principal Investigator: Meldrum, Professor F
Other Investigators:
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department: chemistry
Organisation: Queen Mary University of London
Scheme: Fast Stream
Starts: 01 October 2000 Ends: 30 September 2003 Value (£): 63,100
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Materials Synthesis & Growth
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Manufacturing Chemicals
Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
The project will investigate the synthesis of a range of novel macroporous inorganic solids via the tenplating of echinoid (sea urchin) skeletal plates. Rather than attempting to replicate the unique structure of the echinoid plates by growing crystals de novo, the project uses the original biomineral as a template to produce materials with a unique fenestrated structure of inter-connected 10-15 micrometer pores. The methodology is extremely general and will be used to prepare a wide range of macroporous materials such as metals and ceramics. The emphasis of the project will be on structural control of the solids, to produce materials with defined pore-size distributions and channel coatings. Further to this theme, tailoring of the surface properties will be carried out using self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). Turning the project full-circle, the research will explore the formation of calcium carbonate replicas of the echinoid plates. Calcium carbonate will be precipitated within a resin replica of the echinoid plates in order to study how factors such as spatial constraint and diffusion control can determine crystal morphologies.
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