Silica nanospheres formation induced by peroxidase-catalyzed phenol polymerization

摘要

To examine whether lignin-like compound is correlated with silica precipitation in grass, a series of simulated chemical experiments were carried out at ambient temperature and pressure, close to cell wall pH, with phenol polymerization catalyzed by peroxi-dase in silicon solution. The experiments showed that phenol polymer (a kind of lignin-like substance) caused silica nanosphere precipitation similar to those caused by protein in diatom cell wall previously reported by other authors. The sphere diameter varied with different kinds of phenol and the concentrations of phenol and silicon. Silicon precipitation had phenol and silicon saturation effect, meaning that when the concentration ratio of soluble silicon to phenol exceeded a certain value, the amount of silicon precipitation would decrease.