Protein crystallisation on chemically modified mica surfaces

Chemically modified mica sheets have been tested as heterogeneous nucleant surfaces for lysozyme, concanavalin A and thaumatin. Smooth mica surfaces with reduced hydrophilic properties and different density of ionisable groups have been prepared by a silanisation reaction using mixtures of n-propyltriethoxysilane and 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane in different percentages starting from 0 to 100% of aminosilane. The crystallisation experiments were...