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Diatom Cells Grown and Baked on a Functionalized Mica Surface
We demonstrate the cultivation of diatom cells on a functionalized mica surface and the preparation of frustules on a mica surface by baking. Diatom cells were successfully grown on a mica surface treated with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane. After baking at 400ËšC for 2Â h, frustule structures without the organic components of the diatom cells were successfully observed by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Furthermore, the frustules deformed and became slender when a sample was baked at 800ËšC for 2Â h. Our method is effective for the direct characterization of frustule structures and physical properties without changing the configuration of the diatom cells grown on the mica surface