Crystal structure characterization of nautilus shell at different length scales

In this work, we studied the shell structure of the Nautilus pompilius Linnaeus by using analytical techniques of scanning (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction. The main objective of this study is the structural characterization of Nautilus shell at different length levels, from micron to nano-scale. The results were also used to try to determine the shell structure mechanism of formation. The information obtained in this work will place our particular knowledge a closer step to understand how self-assembly works in nature, and will increase the opportunities of using this information in the future synthesis of new advanced materials.