Magnesiothermic conversion of the silica-mineralizing golden algae Mallomonas caudata and Synura petersenii to elemental silicon with high geometric precision

• Janina Petrack,
• Steffen Jost,
• Jens Boenigk and
• Matthias Epple

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 554–560, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.65

• , Germany 10.3762/bjnano.5.65 Abstract Chrysophyceae, also known as golden algae, contain characteristic, three-dimensional biomineralized silica structures. Their chemical composition and microscopic structure was studied. By high-temperature conversion of the skeleton of Mallomonas caudata and Synura

• petersenii into elementary silicon by magnesium vapour, nanostructured defined replicates were produced which were clearly seen after removal of the formed magnesium oxide with acid. Keywords: biomineralization; golden algae; magnesiothermic conversion; silica; silicon; Introduction In nature, there are

• magnesium oxide occurs onto the diatoms [9]. Shen et al. have demonstrated the chemical transformation of diatoms into silicon by magnesium [17]. The chrysophytes sensu lato, also commonly referred to as golden algae because of the yellowish colour of their chloroplast, belong to the Stramenopiles [18