Mother of Pearl Created in Lab

Mother of Pearl Created in Lab

Researchers have made an artificial version of mother of pearl - a material found on the inner shell of some molluscs that forms the outer coating of pearls - by mimicking the way it is created in nature, paving the way for tough coatings made using low-cost materials.

Mother of pearl, also known as nacre, is a composite material made from inorganic layers of calcium carbonate separated by organic polymers such as chitin. This structure gives nacre its iridescent sheen and makes it resilient to damage.

The breakthrough could perhaps give firms a way of coating smartphones or other gadgets that are shiny and nice to look at - but are still incredibly tough.

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