From the nano-world of rusty proteins and magnetic compasses in bacteria to the macroscopic structures of oyster shells, corals, ivory, bone and enamel, biology has evolved a new type of chemistry that brings together the synthesis and construction of hard and soft matter for the design of functionalized inorganic-organic materials. The process that gives rise to these small and large inorganic-based structures of life is called biomineralization. This book looks at the chemical principles and concepts of biomineralization and their application in the new field of biomimetic materials chemistry.
