Structural Biological Materials - Revision history

Tshhmon at 21:54, 23 April 2024

2024-04-23T21:54:27Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:54, 23 April 2024
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	[[Category:Life]]		[[Category:Life]][[Category:Biochemistry]][[Category:Chemistry & Materials]]

Tshhmon at 15:55, 1 November 2023

2023-11-01T15:55:28Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:55, 1 November 2023
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	=Credit=		=Credit=
	Author: DocViviLeandra		Author: DocViviLeandra

			=Footnotes:=

	[[Category:Life]]		[[Category:Life]]

Tshhmon at 15:55, 1 November 2023

2023-11-01T15:55:00Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:55, 1 November 2023
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	====Polybutyrolactone====		====Polybutyrolactone====
	WIP - needs more research		WIP - needs more research

			=Credit=
			Author: DocViviLeandra

	[[Category:Life]]		[[Category:Life]]

Sevoris at 15:50, 26 August 2022

2022-08-26T15:50:19Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:50, 26 August 2022
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	====Polybutyrolactone====		====Polybutyrolactone====
	WIP - needs more research		WIP - needs more research

			[[Category:Life]]

KuroKitten: /* Biominerals */ Rewrite section, less focus on listing minerals and more on explaining the theory behind them

2022-08-07T15:34:45Z

Biominerals: Rewrite section, less focus on listing minerals and more on explaining the theory behind them

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KuroKitten: /* Manganese carbonate */ correct typo

2022-07-30T17:20:30Z

Manganese carbonate: correct typo

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:20, 30 July 2022
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	Rhodochrosite is also denser and heavier than calcium and magnesium carbonates, with a specific gravity of 3.7 compared to the ~3.0 possessed by the others. This may be an advantage or disadvantage, depending on the application.		Rhodochrosite is also denser and heavier than calcium and magnesium carbonates, with a specific gravity of 3.7 compared to the ~3.0 possessed by the others. This may be an advantage or disadvantage, depending on the application.

	Manganese carbonate is also found in the form of '''Kutnohorite''', when found with calcium, ~~manganese~~, and iron. It is typically a pale, opaque pink. It has roughly the same hardness as rhodochrosite, but a lower specific gravity of 3.12.		Manganese carbonate is also found in the form of '''Kutnohorite''', when found with calcium, magnesium, and iron. It is typically a pale, opaque pink. It has roughly the same hardness as rhodochrosite, but a lower specific gravity of 3.12.

	====Iron, copper, and zinc carbonates====		====Iron, copper, and zinc carbonates====

KuroKitten: /* Biominerals */ corrected typos

2022-07-29T18:29:42Z

Biominerals: corrected typos

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:29, 29 July 2022
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	While all the structural materials discussed previously - and those which will be discussed after - are polymers, mineral crystals also play a major role in structural biological materials. All biominerals excel at adding hardness, strength, and rigidity to biological materials - for obvious reasons, heavily-biomineralized tissue cannot be flexible; although semi-flexible, partially-biomineralized tissue, such as cartilage in vertebrates, is observed in nature.		While all the structural materials discussed previously - and those which will be discussed after - are polymers, mineral crystals also play a major role in structural biological materials. All biominerals excel at adding hardness, strength, and rigidity to biological materials - for obvious reasons, heavily-biomineralized tissue cannot be flexible; although semi-flexible, partially-biomineralized tissue, such as cartilage in vertebrates, is observed in nature.

	In addition to performing structural functions, biomineralized tissue also often functions as a reservoir of minerals - such as calcium, phosphate, and sulfate - that are essential for biological function. In fact, many heavily-biomineralized structures are believed to be evolutionarily derived from simple mineral reservoirs - it is believed that the ~~spin~~ in vertebrates originates from a the use of the primitive notochord for calcium storage, for instance.		In addition to performing structural functions, biomineralized tissue also often functions as a reservoir of minerals - such as calcium, phosphate, and sulfate - that are essential for biological function. In fact, many heavily-biomineralized structures are believed to be evolutionarily derived from simple mineral reservoirs - it is believed that the spine in vertebrates originates from the use of the primitive notochord for calcium storage, for instance.

	Most biominerals are salts, and they are typically classified first by their anion, then their cation.		Most biominerals are salts, and they are typically classified first by their anion, then their cation.

KuroKitten: /* Polysaccharides */

2022-07-29T18:03:06Z

Polysaccharides

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:03, 29 July 2022
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	Contrary to popular belief, cellulose is actually quite flexible, when alone. The rigidity of plant cells - famously with cell walls made out of cellulose - is provided by other materials bonded with cellulose, such as [[Structural Biological Materials#Polyphenols (lignin, tannin, etc.)\|lignin]], along with the hydrostatic pressure provided by the water within the cell.		Contrary to popular belief, cellulose is actually quite flexible, when alone. The rigidity of plant cells - famously with cell walls made out of cellulose - is provided by other materials bonded with cellulose, such as [[Structural Biological Materials#Polyphenols (lignin, tannin, etc.)\|lignin]], along with the hydrostatic pressure provided by the water within the cell.

	A number of Earth organisms are demonstrated to use mannose, or other simple sugars, in the place of glucose, forming structural polysaccharides such as [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mannan_(polysaccharide)mannan]. Their properties are similar to cellulose - though, how they may bond to other polymers might differ, as we'll discuss later with glucomannans.		A number of Earth organisms are demonstrated to use mannose, or other simple sugars, in the place of glucose, forming structural polysaccharides such as [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mannan_(polysaccharide) mannan]. Their properties are similar to cellulose - though, how they may bond to other polymers might differ, as we'll discuss later with glucomannans.

	Some other organisms, such as oomycetes, use other β-glucans - that is, linear chains of glucose - which have different linkages (such as the β(1→3) linkages of chrysolaminarin) as structural materials. In bulk, their mechanical properties are fairly similar.		Some other organisms, such as oomycetes, use other β-glucans - that is, linear chains of glucose - which have different linkages (such as the β(1→3) linkages of chrysolaminarin) as structural materials. In bulk, their mechanical properties are fairly similar.

KuroKitten: /* Polysaccharides (cellulose, chitin, algin, etc.) */ Updated with more info, including sulfated polysaccharides; revised wording in multiple places

2022-07-29T18:01:03Z

Polysaccharides (cellulose, chitin, algin, etc.): Updated with more info, including sulfated polysaccharides; revised wording in multiple places

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KuroKitten at 19:58, 24 July 2022

2022-07-24T19:58:41Z

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 '''Silicates''', otherwise known as common glasses (literally, like the kind in your window), are perhaps the most common and widespread class of structural biominerals on Earth, having independently evolved countless times throughout the tree of life. This may seem surprising, given that you probably know of very few living things that are made out of glass - and that's because almost all organisms that use silica as a structural biomineral are unicellular. Of the multicellular, macroscopic clades that use silica as a structural material, there is only ''one'' that uses it as ''primary'' structural material - the Hexactinellid sponges, otherwise known as "glass sponges." However, some plant clades, such as horsetails, do make use of it as a minor component.
-Silicates are also one of the few biominerals that are not typically found in the form of a salt - instead being typically formed of silica (SiO₂) in its various crystalline forms. Silica is virtually impossible for any living organism - including plausible alien organisms - to metabolize for any purpose, as it requires extreme amounts of energy to break down into silicon and oxygen, and doesn't react with much of anything - as a result, unlike many other biominerals, it is ''solely''' a structural material. On the other hand, this strength and non-reactivity make it exceptional for that very purpose!
+Silicates are also one of the few biominerals that are not typically found in the form of a salt - instead being typically formed of silica (SiO₂) in its various crystalline forms. Silica is virtually impossible for any living organism - including plausible alien organisms - to metabolize for any purpose, as it requires extreme amounts of energy to break down into silicon and oxygen, and doesn't react with much of anything - as a result, unlike many other biominerals, it is ''solely'' a structural material. On the other hand, this strength and non-reactivity make it exceptional for that very purpose!
 Silicate biomineralization is ususally performed by precipitating silic acid, dissolved in water, onto a matrix of structural filaments. This not only results in a very strong structural material, it is also, energetically, exceptionally cheap - organisms that use silica as a structural material spend only a fraction of the energy building such structures that other structural materials require.
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 Pyrite has an absolutely outstanding (for a biomineral) Mohs scale hardness of 6-6.5, and a high specific gravity of 4.95-5.10. It, infamously, looks quite similar to elemental gold - having the common name "fool's gold." Greigite has the more moderate hardness and specific gravity values of 4-4.5 and 4, respectively, and appears a blue-black color.