Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
612990 | Journal of Colloid and Interface Science | 2006 | 7 Pages |
The crystal growth of calcite, the most stable calcium carbonate polymorph, in the presence of the cysteine-rich Mdm2 peptide (containing 48 amino acids in the ring finger configuration), has been investigated by the constant composition technique. Crystallization took place exclusively on well-characterized calcite crystals in solutions supersaturated only with respect to this calcium carbonate salt. The kinetic results indicated a surface diffusion spiral growth mechanism. The presence of the Mdm2 peptide inhibited the crystal growth of calcite by 22–58% in the concentration range tested, through adsorption onto the active growth sites of the calcite crystal surface. The kinetic results favored a Langmuir-type adsorption model, and the value of the calculated affinity constant was kaff=147×104 dm3mol−1, aads=0.29aads=0.29.
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