Engineering of new nanoscale materials from diatomaceous earth (DE)

Three-dimensional (3-d) gold microstructures with complex architecture were prepared from silica-based diatom microshells (frustules) using template synthetic process based on the electroless metal (gold) deposition. Diatom frustules were replicated into gold microstructures with a high-precision, entirely preserving their shape and micro and nanoscale porous features.