Simultaneous synthesis of strontium oxalate with different morphology by living bi-template

Abstract

Naturally occurring forms of materials have complex morphology and excellent performance, which provides new strategies for synthesising materials. In this paper, strontium oxalate crystals with different morphologies can be obtained simultaneously on either side of the membrane of mung bean sprouts (MBS). The as-obtained products were characterised by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The effect of ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) on the morphologies was investigated and discussed. The results showed that EDTA played a more important role in the formation of the products inside the MBS membrane. A presumable mechanism was proposed. This research may provide insights into the cooperation between bionic research and living vegetal cells.