Kato and co-worker’s254 thin films of CaCO3 grown on polysaccharide
substrates in the presence of soluble PAA (Mw=2,000). (a)
CaCO3 films deposited on a hydrogel matrix of
cholesterol-modified pullulan (a glucose-based polysaccharide) yielded a
periodic relief structure. The underlying texture of the film is spherulitic, as
seen in the partial spherulite in the inset. (b) At higher magnification, one
can see the radial growths of the polycrystals. (c) Films that were formed
rapidly produced a corrugated structure, such as the film here, where the
reaction was carried out at 50°C (for 4 hours), as compared to the film
shown in (b), which was formed for 2 days at 10°C. (a–c)
(Reprinted with permission from ref 254.
Copyright 2003 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)