Diatoms are single celled eukaryotic microalgae that self-assemble complex SiO₂
nanostructures by sillafin proteins within their cell wall. There has been increasing
interest in mimicking the diatom’s silica self-assembly process for fabricating metal
oxide nanoparticles, namely germanium dioxide (GeO₂). GeO₂ has a higher refractive
index than silica, enabling it to...
Diatoms, the most common type of algae, are one of the most prevalent organisms in the world. They live in wet ambient environments such as oceans, lakes and rivers and are easily recognizable because of their unique structure. Diatoms are surrounded by a silica cell wall called a frustule. The...