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Nature 446, 146-147 (8 March 2007) | doi:10.1038/446146a; Published online 7 March 2007
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Canada Excellence Research Chair in Biofuels and Biorefining Innovation
- University of British Columbia
- Vancouver, British Columbia Canada
Research Fellows in Pluripotent Stem Cell Technology
- The University of Nottingham
- Nottingham, UK
Materials science: Silicon life forms
David J. Norris1
Abstract
A simple chemical reduction process has been used to replicate intricate natural networks of silica at a relatively low temperature. The equally elaborate product is made of silicon — electronics' golden boy.
Living organisms can produce amazingly complex materials — from bones to butterfly wings — that are not only functional but often beautiful1, 2. A dream of materials scientists is to understand and mimic nature, and thereby to obtain better man-made materials3, 4.
- David J. Norris is in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, 421 Washington Avenue SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA. He is currently on sabbatical at the Walter Schottky Institute, Garching, Germany.
Email: dnorris@umn.edu
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