Biomimetic calcium carbonate–gelatin composites as a model system for eggshell mineralization

The composite nature of mineralized natural materials is achieved through both the microstruc-tural inclusion of an organic component and an overall microstructure that is controlled by templating onto organic macro molecules. A modification of an existing laboratory technique is developed for the codeposition of a CaCO3-gelatin composite with a controllable organic content. First, calibration curves are developed to determine the organic content of a CaCO3-gelatin composite from infrared spectra. Second, a CaCO3-gelatin composite is deposited on either glass coverslips or demineralized eggshell membranes using an automated alternating soaking process. Electron microscopy images and use of the infrared spectra calibration curves show that by altering the amount of gelatin in the ionic growth solutions, the final organic component of the mineral can be regulated over the range of 1–10%, similar to that of natural eggshell.