Manipulation of materials

A particularly potent tool for the creation of new materials is provided by the ability of organic molecules to change inorganic microstructures. This technique is frequently employed in biological systems to build microstructures when organic manipulators make up a small portion of the structure. To demonstrate this idea as it is used in nature and by synthetic laboratories investigating its potential in materials technology, three categories of materials—biomaterials, ceramics, and semiconductors—have been chosen.
Macromolecules including proteins, glycoproteins, and polysaccharides are employed in a few of nature's biomaterials to modify the microstructure and physical characteristics of the material by regulating the nucleation and development of mineral phases. Synthetic materials based on apatite that can serve as artificial bone in people have been created using this idea. Ceramic particle shape may be significantly altered by synthetic polymers and surfactants, which can also impart impart new functional characteristics and offer novel processing techniques for the creation of functional items. The development of semiconducting materials in which molecular manipulators link quantum dots or template cavities to alter their electrical characteristics and usefulness has intriguing potential as well.