Supervariate Gel Transforms into Various Biominerals in Salt Solutions

Xinxue Tang; Chong Wang; Yuk‐Tong Cheng; Junda Shen; Yunchen Long; Hongkun Li; Jie Yan; Yang Ren; Xiao Ma; Yufeng Huang; Zhengtao Xu; Jian Lu; Yang Yang Li

doi:10.1002/adfm.202504321

journal article·2025-09Open access

Supervariate Gel Transforms into Various Biominerals in Salt Solutions

Xinxue Tang, Chong Wang, Yuk‐Tong Cheng, Junda Shen, Yunchen Long, Hongkun Li, Jie Yan, Yang Ren, Xiao Ma, Yufeng Huang, Zhengtao Xu, Jian Lu, Yang Yang Li

Advanced Functional Materials· Volume 35· Issue 37

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Abstract

Abstract It is disclosed that calcium‐based biominerals, particularly hydroxyapatite (as in vertebrate bones and teeth), calcium carbonate (as in plankton and corals), and calcium pyrophosphate (as the cause for pseudogout), can be mineralized from the same precursor—“supervariate” gel, a stable and non‐toxic amorphous gel easily prepared by mixing common water‐soluble inorganic salt. When dispersed in a Na ₂ CO ₃ or K ₂ HPO ₄ solution, this multi‐ionic, “supervariate” gel can selectively form the biomineral calcite (CaCO ₃ ) or hydroxyapatite, respectively. More remarkable reactions happen when the gel is dispersed in a CaCl ₂ solution under ambient conditions: dihydrate calcium pyrophosphate (Ca ₂ P ₂ O ₇ ·2H ₂ O, CPP) is produced in the morphologically intact gel matrix. The resulting gel further transforms into hydroxyapatite upon drying at room temperature. Because of the ubiquity of pyrophosphate in organisms, such mild formation of calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (contrasting the high temperatures needed in other non‐enzymatic procedures, e.g., as in condensing phosphoric acid), and its transformation into hydroxyapatite, sheds light on 1) the role of pyrophosphate in life's origin; 2) key biomineralization mechanisms in physiological processes. This “supervariate” gel is also applied for dental repair and osteogenesis.

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Research context

OpenAlex topics: Calcium Carbonate Crystallization and Inhibition · Bone Tissue Engineering Materials · Endodontics and Root Canal Treatments

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

CityU‐Shenzhen Futian Research Institute Shenzhen 518045 China

Hong Kong Branch of National Precious Metals Material Engineering Research Centre City University of Hong Kong 83 Tat Chee Avenue Kowloon Hong Kong SAR 999077 China

Center of Super‐Diamond and Advanced Films (COSDAF) City University of Hong Kong 83 Tat Chee Avenue Kowloon Hong Kong SAR 999077 China

Department of Materials Science and Engineering City University of Hong Kong Hong Kong SAR China

Department of Physics City University of Hong Kong 83 Tat Chee Avenue Kowloon Hong Kong SAR 999077 China

Department of History Science and Scientific Archaeology University of Science and Technology of China No. 96 Jinzhai Road Hefei Anhui 230026 China

Department of Spinal Surgery, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine Tongji University 150 Jimo Road Shanghai 200092 China

Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), Agency of Science Technology and Research (A*STAR) 2 Fusionopolis Way Innovis 138634 Singapore

Centre for Advanced Structural Materials, City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute, Greater Bay Joint Division Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science Shenzhen 518057 China

Department of Mechanical Engineering City University of Hong Kong 83 Tat Chee Avenue Kowloon Hong Kong SAR 999077 China

Funding

Innovative Research Group Project of the National Natural Science Foundation of China

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