Inside Cover Picture: Silica Biomorphs: Complex Biomimetic Hybrid Materials from “Sand and Chalk” (Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 32/2012)

Abstract

The inside cover picture shows a polarized optical micrograph of twisted barium carbonate crystal aggregates grown spontaneously under the influence of silica in a gel matrix. These so-called silica biomorphs are unique self-assembled hybrid materials displaying complex shapes and elaborate crystal textures reminiscent of biological architectures – despite their purely inorganic origin. Details of the processes leading to the formation of these fascinating biomimetic structures, their mode of construction, as well as possible applications are highlighted in the Microreview by M. Kellermeier, H. Cölfen, and J. M. García-Ruiz. on p. 5123 ff.