The latter property is important for their efficacy for drug delivery and other therapeutic applications 6, 7. Among synthetic crystals, the shape of nanoparticles has been shown to affect optical properties 4, 5 and impact mechanical properties as well as cell membrane permeability 6. Sea urchins sculpt their spines by producing single crystals of calcite having a complex fenestrated morphology with smooth and curved surfaces 3. Single crystalline scaffolds having hierarchical architectures and curved features are widely used for structural purposes by many plants and animals (e.g., mollusks, corals, echinoderms, and algae) 1, 2. The shape-based relationship is manifested in both biological and synthetic systems. The properties and functionalities of crystals are strongly affected by their shape and structure. Our approach offers opportunities to generate a new class of crystals. This process reduces the concentration of the active metal salt. Sonication of the solvents generating radical species is essential for forming the multidomain single-crystals. The chiral crystals are formed from achiral components, and belong to a rare space group ( P622). Regardless of the different morphologies and growth mechanism, the crystallographic structures of the mono- and multidomain crystals are nearly identical. The monodomain crystals dissolve from the inner regions, while material is anisotropically added to their shell, resulting in hollow, single-crystals. These uniform objects are formed from unstable, monodomain crystals. We demonstrate the formation of metallo-organic single-crystals with a unique appearance: six-connected half-rods forming a hexagonal-like tube. Translating such feature to synthetic materials is a highly challenging process in crystal engineering. The coexistence of single-crystallinity with a multidomain morphology is a paradoxical phenomenon occurring in biomineralization.
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