Morphosynthesis of Octacalcium Phosphate Hollow Microspheres by Polyelectrolyte-Mediated Crystallization This work was supported by MURST, the University of Bologna (Funds for Selected Research Topics), and the EPSRC (UK).

Abstract

Spheres without templates: The direct assembly of a complex inorganic polymer with a spherical-shell architecture (see electron microscopy image) was obtained by addition of polyacrylate or polyaspartate during the crystallization of octacalcium phosphate from aqueous solutions. The process does not require the intervention of external templates, and involves the radial growth of dense multilayered spheroids, secondary overgrowth of a porous thin-shell precursor, and anisotropic dissolution of the spheroidal cores.