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Revealing crystalline domains in a mollusc shell single-crystalline prism

Nature Materials volume 16, pages 946–952 (2017)Cite this article

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Abstract

Biomineralization integrates complex processes leading to an extraordinary diversity of calcareous biomineral crystalline architectures, in intriguing contrast with the consistent presence of a sub-micrometric granular structure. Hence, gaining access to the crystalline architecture at the mesoscale, that is, over a few granules, is key to building realistic biomineralization scenarios. Here we provide the nanoscale spatial arrangement of the crystalline structure within the ‘single-crystalline’ prisms of the prismatic layer of a Pinctada margaritifera shell, exploiting three-dimensional X-ray Bragg ptychography microscopy. We reveal the details of the mesocrystalline organization, evidencing a crystalline coherence extending over a few granules. We additionally prove the existence of larger iso-oriented crystalline domains, slightly misoriented with respect to each other, around one unique rotation axis, and whose shapes are correlated with iso-strain domains. The highlighted mesocrystalline properties support recent biomineralization models involving partial fusion of oriented nanoparticle assembly and/or liquid droplet precursors.

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Figure 1: Structure of Pinctada margaritifera shell at different length scales.
Figure 2: 3D Bragg diffraction ptychography set-up.
Figure 3: 3D Bragg ptychography reconstruction.
Figure 4: Crystalline coherence in the iso-oriented domain.

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Acknowledgements

Y. Dauphin and J.-P. Cuif are warmly acknowledged for their invaluable inputs to the research programme. G. Le Moullac (IFREMER) is acknowledged for giving access to the shell samples. J. Savatier is warmly acknowledged for his help during the optical microscopy imaging session. We acknowledge the ESRF for providing access to the source. This work was funded by the French ANR under project number ANR-11-BS20-0005 and it has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon H2020 research and innovation programme grant agreement No 724881. Additional support was received from Aix-Marseille University A∗Midex (ANR-11-IDEX-0001-02), ANR grants France Bio Imaging (ANR-10-INSB-04-01) and France Life Imaging (ANR-11-INSB- 0006).

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Author notes

  1. P. Godard

    Present address: Institut P’, CNRS, Université de Poitiers, ENSMA, F-86962, Futuroscope Chasseneuil, France

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Aix-Marseille Univ, CNRS, Centrale Marseille, Institut Fresnel, F-13013 Marseille, France

    F. Mastropietro, P. Godard, J. Duboisset, M. Allain & V. Chamard

  2. European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, F-38043 Grenoble Cedex, France

    M. Burghammer

  3. NIMBE, CEA, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, CEA Saclay 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France

    C. Chevallard & P. Guenoun

  4. Synchrotron SOLEIL, F-91192 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France

    J. Daillant

  5. GEOPS, Univ. Paris-Sud, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, 91405 Orsay, France

    J. Nouet

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Contributions

V.C., J.Daillant and M.B. conceived the experiment with contributions from P.Godard, C.C. and P.Guenoun. P.Godard, M.A. and V.C. developed the inversion code. V.C., M.B., P.Godard, C.C. and J.Daillant performed the experiments at ID13, ESRF. The 3D ptychography reconstructions were performed by F.M. with inputs and discussion from V.C. and P.Godard. J.Duboisset performed the white light microscopy experiment and performed and analysed the CARS experiments. J.N. performed the AFM experiments. F.M., V.C., J.Daillant, C.C. and J.N. wrote the manuscript with contributions from all co-authors.

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Correspondence to V. Chamard.

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Mastropietro, F., Godard, P., Burghammer, M. et al. Revealing crystalline domains in a mollusc shell single-crystalline prism. Nature Mater 16, 946–952 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat4937

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