1
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Patel V, Patel M, Busupalli B, Solanki A. Interface Engineering Enables Multilevel Resistive Switching in Ultra-Low-Power Chemobrionic Copper Silicate. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024; 40:2311-2319. [PMID: 38232767 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c03431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Memristor is assuming prominence due to its exceptionally low power consumption, adaptable, and parallel signal processing capabilities that address the limitations of the von Neumann architecture to meet the growing demand for advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, Internet of Things (IoTs), and neuromorphic computation. In this work, we demonstrate resistive switching in copper silicate-based hollow tube-forming self-organized membrane structures belonging to the category of chemobrionics or chemical gardens to demonstrate cost-effective and highly efficient memristor devices. The device architecture is configured as ITO/PEDOT:PSS/active layer (copper silicate)/PMMA/Ag, an arrangement that serves to stabilize current-voltage hysteresis and exhibit a low SET voltage ∼0.2 V with a 0.8 nJ power consumption while manifesting robust data endurance and multilevel resistive switching. The inherent self-rectifying behavior, characterized by a high rectification ratio of 60, underscores the potential utility of these devices across a spectrum of electronic applications. To emulate the functionality of biological synapses, fundamental synaptic characteristics are assessed, including paired-pulse facilitation (PPF) and potentiation and depression (P&D). We validate the potential of copper silicate chemical garden-based memristor devices for applications that require real-time synaptic processing. Importantly, the fabrication of these devices was accomplished through a comprehensive solution-based, low-temperature process conducted under ambient environmental conditions, obviating the need for specialized glovebox facilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vipul Patel
- Department of Chemistry, School of Energy Technology, Pandit Deendayal Energy University, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382426, India
| | - Mansi Patel
- Department of Physics, School of Energy Technology, Pandit Deendayal Energy University, Gandhinagar 382426, India
- Flextronics Lab, Pandit Deendayal Energy University, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382426, India
| | - Balanagulu Busupalli
- Department of Chemistry, School of Energy Technology, Pandit Deendayal Energy University, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382426, India
| | - Ankur Solanki
- Department of Physics, School of Energy Technology, Pandit Deendayal Energy University, Gandhinagar 382426, India
- Flextronics Lab, Pandit Deendayal Energy University, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382426, India
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2
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Patel VK, Busupalli B. Light-modulated colour transformation in highly intertwined vertically growing silver tungstate tubes. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2023; 25:30727-30734. [PMID: 37934461 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp04329k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Achieving control over growth kinetics in chemical garden architectures is challenging due to the nonequilibrium conditions. In this study, we demonstrate the vertical growth of silver tungstate chemical garden tubes under both illuminated and dark conditions, a phenomenon not observed in a comparable silver-based system, specifically silver silicate, under light exposure. Physicochemical factors, viz. thermo chemical radius of the tungstate anion, its density-buoyancy relation, the osmotic pressure gradient, and the hydration enthalpy, contributed to the tube appearance in silver tungstate even in light. Tubes grown in light illumination were greyish black, while dark-grown tubes were creamy white, and both tubes appeared twisted and highly intertwined. The colour of the as obtained silver tungstate tubes could be transformed via exposure to light. In the presence of a strong oxidizing agent, the growing tubes retain the original creamy white colour even under illumination. Colour transformation in chemical garden tubes has not yet been observed, and this report could lead the way.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vipul Kirtikumar Patel
- Department of Chemistry, School of Energy Technology, Pandit Deendayal Energy University, Gandhinagar 382426, Gujarat, India.
| | - Balanagulu Busupalli
- Department of Chemistry, School of Energy Technology, Pandit Deendayal Energy University, Gandhinagar 382426, Gujarat, India.
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3
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Patel VK, Busupalli B. Dissimilar chemobrionic growth in copper silicate chemical gardens in the absence or presence of light. Chem Commun (Camb) 2023; 59:768-771. [PMID: 36546324 DOI: 10.1039/d2cc06570c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The effect of the absence of light on chemical garden growth has been neglected although the gardens resemble hydrothermal vents that grow in dark in the sea/ocean. Herein, we report the differential growth of chemobrionic structures in copper silicate when identical reactions to yield copper silicate chemical gardens were carried out in the presence or absence of light. Irradiating the copper silicate chemical garden during its growth with different wavelengths of light independently resulted in morphologically divergent tubes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vipul Kirtikumar Patel
- Department of Chemistry, School of Energy Technology, Pandit Deendayal Energy University, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382426, India.
| | - Balanagulu Busupalli
- Department of Chemistry, School of Energy Technology, Pandit Deendayal Energy University, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382426, India.
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4
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Rieder J, Nützl M, Kunz W, Kellermeier M. Formation and Dynamic Behavior of Macroscopic Aluminum-Based Silica Gardens. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2022; 38:10392-10399. [PMID: 35976253 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.2c00971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Chemical gardens are self-assembled structures with intricate plant-like morphologies and consist of mineralized membranes, which form spontaneously at interfaces between compartments with dissimilar chemical composition, most typically acidic metal salt and alkaline sodium silicate solutions. While this phenomenon is thought to occur in a number of practical settings, it has also proven to be valuable for investigating transport characteristics in distinct applied systems. For example, coupled diffusion and precipitation processes were monitored in silica gardens based on calcium and iron salts, considered to be models for cement hydration and steel corrosion, respectively. Here we extend these studies to the case of aluminum-based silica gardens, one of the so far less frequently investigated examples of silica gardens. To this end, single macroscopic tubes were prepared in a reproducible way by the controlled addition of sodium silicate solution to a pellet of pressed aluminum nitrate. Continued sampling of the volumes enclosed by and surrounding the formed membraneous structure allowed the time-dependent development of ion concentration gradients to be tracked over extended periods of time, while both the pH and electrochemical potential differences across the membrane were recorded online by immersed probes. The dynamic behavior revealed in this way was finally complemented by ex-situ analyses of the composition of the formed tubes. The collected data shows that the as-prepared tubular structures consist of sodium aluminosilicate phases with certain similarities to zeolites and geopolymers. The emerging tube wall was further found to be permeable to all ionic species present in the system, allowing significant electrochemical potential to be sustained over tens of hours until diffusion had eventually diminished the initially generated gradients. The findings of this work may have important implications for the geochemical fate of natural aluminosilicate sources, the use of such geopolymers in construction applications, and the synthesis and properties of zeolites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Rieder
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 31, D-93040 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Maximilian Nützl
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 31, D-93040 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Werner Kunz
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 31, D-93040 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Kellermeier
- Material Science, BASF SE, RGA/BM - B007, Carl-Bosch-Str. 38, D-67056 Ludwigshafen, Germany
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5
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Rocha LAM, Thorne L, Wong JJ, Cartwright JHE, Cardoso SSS. Archimedean Spirals Form at Low Flow Rates in Confined Chemical Gardens. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2022; 38:6700-6710. [PMID: 35593590 PMCID: PMC9161446 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.2c00633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
We describe and study the formation of confined chemical garden patterns. At low flow rates of injection of cobalt chloride solution into a Hele-Shaw cell filled with sodium silicate, the precipitate forms with a thin filament wrapping around an expanding "candy floss" structure. The result is the formation of an Archimedean spiral structure. We model the growth of the structure mathematically. We estimate the effective density of the precipitate and calculate the membrane permeability. We set the results within the context of recent experimental and modeling work on confined chemical garden filaments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis A. M. Rocha
- Department
of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3RA, U.K.
| | - Lewis Thorne
- Department
of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3RA, U.K.
| | - Jasper J. Wong
- Department
of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3RA, U.K.
| | - Julyan H. E. Cartwright
- Instituto
Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra, CSIC−Universidad
de Granada, 18100 Armilla, Granada, Spain
- Instituto
Carlos I de Física Teórica y Computacional, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Silvana S. S. Cardoso
- Department
of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3RA, U.K.
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6
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Dynamic diffusion and precipitation processes across calcium silicate membranes. J Colloid Interface Sci 2022; 618:206-218. [PMID: 35338927 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2022.03.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
HYPOTHESIS Chemical gardens are tubular inorganic structures exhibiting complex morphologies and interesting dynamic properties upon ageing, with coupled diffusion and precipitation processes keeping the systems out of equilibrium for extended periods of time. Calcium-based silica gardens should comprise membranes that mimic the microstructures occurring in ordinary Portland cement and/or silicate gel layers observed around highly reactive siliceous aggregates in concrete. EXPERIMENTS Single macroscopic silica garden tubes were prepared using pellets of calcium chloride and sodium silicate solution. The composition of the mineralized tubes was characterized by means of various ex-situ techniques, while time-dependent monitoring of the solutions enclosed by and surrounding the membrane gives insight into the spatiotemporal distribution of the different ionic species. The latter data reflect transport properties and precipitation reactions in the system, thus allowing its complex dynamic behavior to be resolved. FINDINGS The results show that in contrast to the previously studied cases of iron- and cobalt-based silica gardens, the formed calcium silicate membrane is homogeneous and ultimately becomes impermeable to all species except water, hydroxide and sodium ions, resulting in the permanent conservation of considerable concentration gradients across the membrane. The insights gained in this work may help elucidate the nature and mechanisms of ion diffusion in Portland cements and concrete, especially those occurring during initial hydration of calcium silicates and the so-called alkali-silica reaction (ASR), one of the major concrete deterioration mechanisms causing serious problems with respect to the durability of concrete and the restricted use of many potential sources of raw materials.
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7
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Emmanuel M, Lantos E, Horváth D, Tóth Á. Formation and growth of lithium phosphate chemical gardens. SOFT MATTER 2022; 18:1731-1736. [PMID: 35156669 DOI: 10.1039/d1sm01808f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
We show that a chemical garden can be developed from an alkaline metal precipitate using a flow-driven setup. By injecting sodium phosphate solution into lithium chloride solution from below, a liquid jet appears, on which a precipitate grows forming a structure resembling a hydrothermal vent. The precipitate column continuously builds upward until a maximum height is reached. The vertical growth then significantly slows down while the tube diameter still increases. The analysis of the growth profiles has revealed a linear dependence of volume growth rate on the injection rate, hence yielding a universal growth profile. The expansion in diameter, localized at the tip of the structure, scales with a power law suggesting that the phenomenon is controlled by both diffusion and convection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Emmanuel
- Department of Physical Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Szeged, Rerrich Béla tér 1., Szeged, H-6720, Hungary.
| | - Emese Lantos
- Department of Physical Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Szeged, Rerrich Béla tér 1., Szeged, H-6720, Hungary.
| | - Dezső Horváth
- Department of Applied and Environmental Chemistry, University of Szeged, Rerrich Béla tér 1., Szeged, H-6720, Hungary
| | - Ágota Tóth
- Department of Physical Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Szeged, Rerrich Béla tér 1., Szeged, H-6720, Hungary.
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8
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Busupalli B, Patel VK. Dark–induced vertical growth of chemobrionic architectures in silver based precipitating chemical gardens. Chem Commun (Camb) 2022; 58:4172-4175. [DOI: 10.1039/d1cc06430d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Light sensitivity of many silver compounds has restricted observation of silver based chemical gardens. Here we report for the first time, silver based chemical gardens grown in dark. An identical...
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9
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Getenet M, Rieder J, Kellermeier M, Kunz W, Manuel García-Ruiz J. Tubular Structures of Calcium Carbonate: Formation, Characterization, and Implications in Natural Mineral Environments. Chemistry 2021; 27:16135-16144. [PMID: 34590745 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202101417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Chemical gardens are self-assembled tubular precipitates formed by a combination of osmosis, buoyancy, and chemical reaction, and thought to be capable of catalyzing prebiotic condensation reactions. In many cases, the tube wall is a bilayer structure with the properties of a diaphragm and/or a membrane. The interest in silica gardens as microreactors for materials science has increased over the past decade because of their ability to create long-lasting electrochemical potential. In this study, we have grown single macroscopic tubes based on calcium carbonate and monitored their time-dependent behavior by in situ measurements of pH, ionic concentrations inside and outside the tubular membranes, and electrochemical potential differences. Furthermore, we have characterized the composition and structure of the tubular membranes by using ex situ X-ray diffraction, infrared and Raman spectroscopy, as well as scanning electron microscopy. Based on the collected data, we propose a physicochemical mechanism for the formation and ripening of these peculiar CaCO3 structures and compare the results to those of other chemical garden systems. We find that the wall of the macroscopic calcium carbonate tubes is a bilayer of texturally distinct but compositionally similar calcite showing high crystallinity. The resulting high density of the material prevents macroscopic calcium carbonate gardens from developing significant electrochemical potential differences. In the light of these observations, possible implications in materials science and prebiotic (geo)chemistry are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melese Getenet
- Laboratorio de Estudios Cristalográficos, Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra (CSIC-UGR), Avenida de las Palmeras 4, Armilla, 18100, Granada, Spain
| | - Julian Rieder
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Regensburg, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Kellermeier
- Material Physics, BASF SE, RAA/OS-B007, Carl-Bosch-Strasse 38, 67056, Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Germany
| | - Werner Kunz
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Regensburg, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Juan Manuel García-Ruiz
- Laboratorio de Estudios Cristalográficos, Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra (CSIC-UGR), Avenida de las Palmeras 4, Armilla, 18100, Granada, Spain
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10
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Rocha LAM, Cartwright JHE, Cardoso SSS. Filament dynamics in planar chemical gardens. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2021; 23:5222-5235. [PMID: 33629080 DOI: 10.1039/d0cp03674a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Filaments in a planar chemical garden grow following tortuous, erratic paths. We show from statistical mechanics that this scaling results from a self-organized dispersion mechanism. Effective diffusivities as high as 10-5 m2 s-1 are measured in 2D laboratory experiments. This efficient transport is four orders of magnitude larger than molecular diffusion in a liquid, and ensures widespread contact and exchange between fluids in the chemical-garden structure and its surrounding environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis A M Rocha
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3RA, UK.
| | - Julyan H E Cartwright
- Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra, CSIC-Universidad de Granada, 18100 Armilla, Granada, Spain and Instituto Carlos I de Física Teórica y Computacional, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Silvana S S Cardoso
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3RA, UK.
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11
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Kotopoulou E, Lopez‐Haro M, Calvino Gamez JJ, García‐Ruiz JM. Nanoscale Anatomy of Iron-Silica Self-Organized Membranes: Implications for Prebiotic Chemistry. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021; 60:1396-1402. [PMID: 33022871 PMCID: PMC7839773 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202012059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Iron-silica self-organized membranes, so-called chemical gardens, behave as fuel cells and catalyze the formation of amino/carboxylic acids and RNA nucleobases from organics that were available on early Earth. Despite their relevance for prebiotic chemistry, little is known about their structure and mineralogy at the nanoscale. Studied here are focused ion beam milled sections of iron-silica membranes, grown from synthetic and natural, alkaline, serpentinization-derived fluids thought to be widespread on early Earth. Electron microscopy shows they comprise amorphous silica and iron nanoparticles of large surface areas and inter/intraparticle porosities. Their construction resembles that of a heterogeneous catalyst, but they can also exhibit a bilayer structure. Surface-area measurements suggest that membranes grown from natural waters have even higher catalytic potential. Considering their geochemically plausible precipitation in the early hydrothermal systems where abiotic organics were produced, iron-silica membranes might have assisted the generation and organization of the first biologically relevant organics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Electra Kotopoulou
- Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la TierraConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas- Universidad de GranadaAvda. de las Palmeras 418100GranadaSpain
| | - Miguel Lopez‐Haro
- Departamento de Ciencia de los Materiales e Ingeniería Metalúrgica y Química InorgánicaFacultad de CienciasUniversidad de CadizCampus Rio San PedroPuerto Real11510CádizSpain
| | - Jose Juan Calvino Gamez
- Departamento de Ciencia de los Materiales e Ingeniería Metalúrgica y Química InorgánicaFacultad de CienciasUniversidad de CadizCampus Rio San PedroPuerto Real11510CádizSpain
| | - Juan Manuel García‐Ruiz
- Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la TierraConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas- Universidad de GranadaAvda. de las Palmeras 418100GranadaSpain
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12
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Kotopoulou E, Lopez‐Haro M, Calvino Gamez JJ, García‐Ruiz JM. Nanoscale Anatomy of Iron‐Silica Self‐Organized Membranes: Implications for Prebiotic Chemistry. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202012059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Electra Kotopoulou
- Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas- Universidad de Granada Avda. de las Palmeras 4 18100 Granada Spain
| | - Miguel Lopez‐Haro
- Departamento de Ciencia de los Materiales e Ingeniería Metalúrgica y Química Inorgánica Facultad de Ciencias Universidad de Cadiz Campus Rio San Pedro Puerto Real 11510 Cádiz Spain
| | - Jose Juan Calvino Gamez
- Departamento de Ciencia de los Materiales e Ingeniería Metalúrgica y Química Inorgánica Facultad de Ciencias Universidad de Cadiz Campus Rio San Pedro Puerto Real 11510 Cádiz Spain
| | - Juan Manuel García‐Ruiz
- Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas- Universidad de Granada Avda. de las Palmeras 4 18100 Granada Spain
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13
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Mineral Vesicles and Chemical Gardens from Carbonate-Rich Alkaline Brines of Lake Magadi, Kenya. CRYSTALS 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/cryst10060467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Mineral vesicles and chemical gardens are self-organized biomimetic structures that form via abiotic mineral precipitation. These membranous structures are known to catalyze prebiotic reactions but the extreme conditions required for their synthesis has cast doubts on their formation in nature. Apart from model solutions, these structures have been shown to form in serpentinization-driven natural silica-rich water and by fluid-rock interaction of model alkaline solutions with granites. Here, for the first time, we demonstrate that self-assembled hollow mineral vesicles and gardens can be synthesized in natural carbonate-rich soda lake water. We have synthesized these structures by a) pouring saturated metal salt solutions, and b) by immersing metal salt pellets in brines collected from Lake Magadi (Kenya). The resulting structures are analyzed by using SEM coupled with EDX analysis, Raman spectroscopy, and powder X-ray diffraction. Our results suggest that mineral self-assembly could have been a common phenomenon in soda oceans of early Earth and Earth-like planets and moons. The composition of the obtained vesicles and gardens confirms the recent observation that carbonate minerals in soda lakes sequestrate Ca, thus leaving phosphate behind in solution available for biochemical reactions. Our results strengthens the proposal that alkaline brines could be ideal sites for “one-pot” synthesis of prebiotic organic compounds and the origin of life.
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14
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García-Ruiz JM, van Zuilen MA, Bach W. Mineral self-organization on a lifeless planet. Phys Life Rev 2020; 34-35:62-82. [PMID: 32303465 DOI: 10.1016/j.plrev.2020.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
It has been experimentally demonstrated that, under alkaline conditions, silica is able to induce the formation of mineral self-assembled inorganic-inorganic composite materials similar in morphology, texture and nanostructure to the hybrid biomineral structures that, millions of years later, life was able to self-organize. These mineral self-organized structures (MISOS) have been also shown to work as effective catalysts for prebiotic chemical reactions and to easily create compartmentalization within the solutions where they form. We reason that, during the very earliest history of this planet, there was a geochemical scenario that inevitably led to the existence of a large-scale factory of simple and complex organic compounds, many of which were relevant to prebiotic chemistry. The factory was built on a silica-rich high-pH ocean and powered by two main factors: a) a quasi-infinite source of simple carbon molecules synthesized abiotically from reactions associated with serpentinization, or transported from meteorites and produced from their impact on that alkaline ocean, and b) the formation of self-organized silica-metal mineral composites that catalyze the condensation of simple molecules in a methane-rich reduced atmosphere. We discuss the plausibility of this geochemical scenario, review the details of the formation of MISOS and its catalytic properties and the transition towards a slightly alkaline to neutral ocean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Manuel García-Ruiz
- Laboratorio de Estudios Cristalográficos, Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra, CSIC-Universidad de Granada, Av. de las Palmeras 4, Armilla (Granada), Spain.
| | - Mark A van Zuilen
- Equipe Géomicrobiologie, Université de Paris, Institut de physique du globe de Paris, CNRS, F-75005 Paris, France.
| | - Wolfgang Bach
- Geoscience Department and MARUM, University of Bremen, Klagenfurter Str. 2, 28359 Bremen, Germany.
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15
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Cardoso SSS, Cartwright JHE, Čejková J, Cronin L, De Wit A, Giannerini S, Horváth D, Rodrigues A, Russell MJ, Sainz-Díaz CI, Tóth Á. Chemobrionics: From Self-Assembled Material Architectures to the Origin of Life. ARTIFICIAL LIFE 2020; 26:315-326. [PMID: 32697160 DOI: 10.1162/artl_a_00323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Self-organizing precipitation processes, such as chemical gardens forming biomimetic micro- and nanotubular forms, have the potential to show us new fundamental science to explore, quantify, and understand nonequilibrium physicochemical systems, and shed light on the conditions for life's emergence. The physics and chemistry of these phenomena, due to the assembly of material architectures under a flux of ions, and their exploitation in applications, have recently been termed chemobrionics. Advances in understanding in this area require a combination of expertise in physics, chemistry, mathematical modeling, biology, and nanoengineering, as well as in complex systems and nonlinear and materials sciences, giving rise to this new synergistic discipline of chemobrionics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvana S S Cardoso
- University of Cambridge, Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology.
| | - Julyan H E Cartwright
- Universidad de Granada CSIC, Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra, Instituto Carlos I de Física Teórica y Computacional.
| | - Jitka Čejková
- University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Department of Chemical Engineering
| | | | - Anne De Wit
- Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Nonlinear Physical Chemistry Unit
| | - Simone Giannerini
- Università di Bologna, Dipartimento di Scienze Statistiche "Paolo Fortunati"
| | - Dezső Horváth
- University of Szeged, Department of Applied and Environmental Chemistry
| | | | | | | | - Ágota Tóth
- University of Szeged, Department of Physical Chemistry and Materials Science
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16
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Hughes EAB, Chipara M, Hall TJ, Williams RL, Grover LM. Chemobrionic structures in tissue engineering: self-assembling calcium phosphate tubes as cellular scaffolds. Biomater Sci 2020; 8:812-822. [DOI: 10.1039/c9bm01010f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
A diverse range of complex patterns and mineralised hierarchical microstructures can be derived from chemobrionic systems. In this work, we explore chemobrionic calcium phosphate tubes as cellular scaffolds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik A. B. Hughes
- School of Chemical Engineering
- University of Birmingham
- UK
- NIHR Surgical Reconstruction and Microbiology Research Centre
- Queen Elizabeth Hospital
| | - Miruna Chipara
- School of Chemical Engineering
- University of Birmingham
- UK
| | - Thomas J. Hall
- School of Chemical Engineering
- University of Birmingham
- UK
| | | | - Liam M. Grover
- School of Chemical Engineering
- University of Birmingham
- UK
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17
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McMahon S. Earth's earliest and deepest purported fossils may be iron-mineralized chemical gardens. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20192410. [PMID: 31771469 PMCID: PMC6939263 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.2410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Recognizing fossil microorganisms is essential to the study of life's origin and evolution and to the ongoing search for life on Mars. Purported fossil microbes in ancient rocks include common assemblages of iron-mineral filaments and tubes. Recently, such assemblages have been interpreted to represent Earth's oldest body fossils, Earth's oldest fossil fungi, and Earth's best analogues for fossils that might form in the basaltic Martian subsurface. Many of these putative fossils exhibit hollow circular cross-sections, lifelike (non-crystallographic, constant-thickness, and bifurcate) branching, anastomosis, nestedness within ‘sheaths’, and other features interpreted as strong evidence for a biological origin, since no abiotic process consistent with the composition of the filaments has been shown to produce these specific lifelike features either in nature or in the laboratory. Here, I show experimentally that abiotic chemical gardening can mimic such purported fossils in both morphology and composition. In particular, chemical gardens meet morphological criteria previously proposed to establish biogenicity, while also producing the precursors to the iron minerals most commonly constitutive of filaments in the rock record. Chemical gardening is likely to occur in nature. Such microstructures should therefore not be assumed to represent fossil microbes without independent corroborating evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean McMahon
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, James Clerk Maxwell Building, Peter Guthrie Tait Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FD, UK.,School of Geosciences, Grant Institute, University of Edinburgh, James Hutton Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FE, UK
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Pótári G, Tóth Á, Horváth D. Precipitation patterns driven by gravity current. CHAOS (WOODBURY, N.Y.) 2019; 29:073117. [PMID: 31370424 DOI: 10.1063/1.5094491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2019] [Accepted: 07/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
A precipitation reaction can be driven by a gravity current that spreads on the bottom as a denser fluid is injected into an initially stagnant liquid. Supersaturation and nucleation are restricted to locations where the two liquids come into contact; hence, the flow pattern governs the spatial distribution of the final product. In this numerical study, we quantitatively characterize the flow associated with the gravity current prior to the onset of nucleation and distinguish three zones where the coupling of transport processes with the reaction can take place depending on their time scales. A scaling law associated with the region of Rayleigh-Taylor instability behind the tip of the gravity current is also determined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gábor Pótári
- Department of Physical Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Szeged, Rerrich Béla tér 1., Szeged H-6720, Hungary
| | - Ágota Tóth
- Department of Physical Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Szeged, Rerrich Béla tér 1., Szeged H-6720, Hungary
| | - Dezső Horváth
- Department of Applied and Environmental Chemistry, University of Szeged, Rerrich Béla tér 1., Szeged H-6720, Hungary
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19
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Zahorán R, Kukovecz Á, Tóth Á, Horváth D, Schuszter G. High-speed tracking of fast chemical precipitations. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2019; 21:11345-11350. [PMID: 31107467 DOI: 10.1039/c9cp01707k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Heterogeneous reactions taking place in the aqueous phase bear significant importance both in applied and fundamental research. Among others, producing solid catalysts, crystallizing biomorphs or pharmaceutically relevant polymorphs, and yielding bottom-up synthesised precipitate structures are prominent examples. To achieve a better control on product properties, reaction kinetics and mechanisms must be taken into account especially in dynamic systems where transport processes are coupled to chemistry. Since the characteristic time scale of numerous precipitation reactions falls below 1 s within the relevant concentration range, unique experimental protocols are needed. Herein we present a high-speed camera supported experimental procedure capable of determining such characteristic time scales in the range of 10 ms to 1 s. The method is validated both experimentally and by performing 3D hydrodynamic simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Réka Zahorán
- Department of Physical Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Szeged, Rerrich Béla tér 1., Szeged, H-6720, Hungary.
| | - Ákos Kukovecz
- Interdisciplinary Excellence Center, Department of Applied and Environmental Chemistry, University of Szeged, Hungary
| | - Ágota Tóth
- Department of Physical Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Szeged, Rerrich Béla tér 1., Szeged, H-6720, Hungary.
| | - Dezső Horváth
- Department of Applied and Environmental Chemistry, University of Szeged, Hungary
| | - Gábor Schuszter
- Department of Physical Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Szeged, Rerrich Béla tér 1., Szeged, H-6720, Hungary.
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Saladino R, Di Mauro E, García‐Ruiz JM. A Universal Geochemical Scenario for Formamide Condensation and Prebiotic Chemistry. Chemistry 2019; 25:3181-3189. [PMID: 30230056 PMCID: PMC6470889 DOI: 10.1002/chem.201803889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Revised: 09/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The condensation of formamide has been shown to be a robust chemical pathway affording molecules necessary for the origin of life. It has been experimentally demonstrated that condensation reactions of formamide are catalyzed by a number of minerals, including silicates, phosphates, sulfides, zirconia, and borates, and by cosmic dusts and meteorites. However, a critical discussion of the catalytic power of the tested minerals, and the geochemical conditions under which the condensation would occur, is still missing. We show here that mineral self-assembled structures forming under alkaline silica-rich solutions are excellent catalysts for the condensation of formamide with respect to other minerals. We also propose that these structures were likely forming as early as 4.4 billion years ago when the whole earth surface was a reactor, a global scale factory, releasing large amounts of organic compounds. Our experimental results suggest that the conditions required for the synthesis of the molecular bricks from which life self-assembles, rather than being local and bizarre, appears to be universal and geologically rather conventional.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raffaele Saladino
- Dipartimento di Scienze Ecologiche e BiologicheUniversità della TusciaVia San Camillo De Lellis01100ViterboItaly
| | - Ernesto Di Mauro
- Dipartimento di Scienze Ecologiche e BiologicheUniversità della TusciaVia San Camillo De Lellis01100ViterboItaly
| | - Juan Manuel García‐Ruiz
- Laboratorio de Estudios Cristalográficos, Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la TierraCSIC-Universidad de GranadaAv. De las Palmeras 4ArmillaGranadaSpain
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21
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Cera L, Schalley CA. Under Diffusion Control: from Structuring Matter to Directional Motion. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2018; 30:e1707029. [PMID: 29931699 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201707029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Revised: 03/09/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Self-organization in synthetic chemical systems is quickly developing into a powerful strategy for designing new functional materials. As self-organization requires the system to exist far from thermodynamic equilibrium, chemists have begun to go beyond the classical equilibrium self-assembly that is often applied in bottom-up supramolecular synthesis, and to learn about the surprising and unpredicted emergent properties of chemical systems that are characterized by a higher level of complexity and extended reactivity networks. The present review focuses on self-organization in reaction-diffusion systems. Selected examples show how the emergence of complex morphogenesis is feasible in synthetic systems leading to hierarchically and nanostructured matter. Starting from well-investigated oscillating reactions, recent developments extend diffusion-limited reactivity to supramolecular systems. The concept of dynamic instability is introduced and illustrated as an additional tool for the design of smart materials and actuators, with emphasis on the realization of motion even at the macroscopic scale. The formation of spatio-temporal patterns along diffusive chemical gradients is exploited as the main channel to realize symmetry breaking and therefore anisotropic and directional mechanical transformations. Finally, the interaction between external perturbations and chemical gradients is explored to give mechanistic insights in the design of materials responsive to external stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Cera
- Institut für Chemie und Biochemie der Freien Universität, Takustr. 3, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christoph A Schalley
- Institut für Chemie und Biochemie der Freien Universität, Takustr. 3, 14195, Berlin, Germany
- Sino-German Joint Research Lab for Space Biomaterials and Translational Technology, School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 127 Youyi Xilu, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710072, P. R. China
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22
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Das NP, Müller B, Tóth Á, Horváth D, Schuszter G. Macroscale precipitation kinetics: towards complex precipitate structure design. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2018; 20:19768-19775. [DOI: 10.1039/c8cp01798k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Producing self-assembled inorganic precipitate micro- and macro-structures with tailored properties may pave the way for new possibilities in, e.g., materials science and the pharmaceutical industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nirmali Prabha Das
- Department of Physical Chemistry and Materials Science
- University of Szeged
- Szeged
- Hungary
| | - Brigitta Müller
- Department of Physical Chemistry and Materials Science
- University of Szeged
- Szeged
- Hungary
| | - Ágota Tóth
- Department of Physical Chemistry and Materials Science
- University of Szeged
- Szeged
- Hungary
| | - Dezső Horváth
- Department of Applied and Environmental Chemistry
- University of Szeged
- Szeged
- Hungary
| | - Gábor Schuszter
- Department of Physical Chemistry and Materials Science
- University of Szeged
- Szeged
- Hungary
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23
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Glaab F, Rieder J, Klein R, Choquesillo‐Lazarte D, Melero‐Garcia E, García‐Ruiz J, Kunz W, Kellermeier M. Precipitation and Crystallization Kinetics in Silica Gardens. Chemphyschem 2017; 18:338-345. [PMID: 28001337 PMCID: PMC5347931 DOI: 10.1002/cphc.201600748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2016] [Revised: 11/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Silica gardens are extraordinary plant-like structures resulting from the complex interplay of relatively simple inorganic components. Recent work has highlighted that macroscopic self-assembly is accompanied by the spontaneous formation of considerable chemical gradients, which induce a cascade of coupled dissolution, diffusion, and precipitation processes occurring over timescales as long as several days. In the present study, this dynamic behavior was investigated for silica gardens based on iron and cobalt chloride by means of two synchrotron-based techniques, which allow the determination of concentration profiles and time-resolved monitoring of diffraction patterns, thus giving direct insight into the progress of dissolution and crystallization phenomena in the system. On the basis of the collected data, a kinetic model is proposed to describe the relevant reactions on a fundamental physicochemical level. The results show that the choice of the metal cations (as well as their counterions) is crucial for the development of silica gardens in both the short and long term (i.e. during tube formation and upon subsequent slow equilibration), and provide important clues for understanding the properties of related structures in geochemical and industrial environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Glaab
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical ChemistryUniversity of RegensburgUniversitätsstrasse 3193040RegensburgGermany
| | - Julian Rieder
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical ChemistryUniversity of RegensburgUniversitätsstrasse 3193040RegensburgGermany
| | - Regina Klein
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical ChemistryUniversity of RegensburgUniversitätsstrasse 3193040RegensburgGermany
| | - Duane Choquesillo‐Lazarte
- Laboratorio de Estudios CristalográficosIACT (CSIC-UGR)Av. de las Palmeras 418100Armilla (Granada)Spain
| | - Emilio Melero‐Garcia
- Laboratorio de Estudios CristalográficosIACT (CSIC-UGR)Av. de las Palmeras 418100Armilla (Granada)Spain
| | - Juan‐Manuel García‐Ruiz
- Laboratorio de Estudios CristalográficosIACT (CSIC-UGR)Av. de las Palmeras 418100Armilla (Granada)Spain
| | - Werner Kunz
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical ChemistryUniversity of RegensburgUniversitätsstrasse 3193040RegensburgGermany
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