Feature Designed Growth of 3D Flower-like SiO₂ Growing on Polyethyleneimine Modified CaCO₃ Microparticles

We report on the ability to create complex 3D flower-like SiO₂ in vitro via CaCO₃ micropar-icles supported by polyethyleneimine mediated biosilicification under experimentally altered chemical influences. The morphology, structure, composition of the product have been inves-tigated with the X-ray photoelectron spectrum, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, and energy-dispersive spectroscopy. The overall morphologies could be controlled to shift from a characteristic network of flower-like silica sphere to a sheet-like structure by adjusting physical adsorption of different amount of polyethyleneimine onto the surface of the CaCO₃ microparticles.