The
in vitro polymerization of silica,
silicone, non-
silicon metalloid-oxane and metallo-oxane
polymer networks, by combining a catalyst and a substrate to polymerize the substrate to form silica, polysiloxanes, polymetalloid-oxanes polymetallo-oxanes (
metal oxides), polyorganometalloid oxanes, polyorganometallo oxanes, and the polyhydrido derivatives thereof, at about
neutral pH. The
nanostructure-directing catalysts have a nucleophilic functionality and a
hydrogen-bonding
acceptor group, and include: silicateins, enzymes that work by a mechanism functionally related to that of the silicateins; self-assembling peptides related to those synthesized and demonstrated capable of acting as biomimetic substitutes for the silicateins; non-
peptide-based synthetic polymers containing a nucleophilic group and a
hydrogen bonding amine such that the
polymer functions by a
mechanism of action related to that of the silicateins; materials having such chemical functionality as a nucleophilic group and or a
hydrogen bonding amine which, acting in concert with nanoconfinement and or chemical functionality of the surface or matrix to which the functionality is attached, acts catalytically by a mechanism related to that of the silicateins; and small-molecule non-polymeric biomimetic catalysts that operate by the same mechanism as silicateins. The substrate is selected from groups consisting of
silicon alkoxides, non-
silicon metalloid alkoxides or
metal alkoxides, and any organic, organometallic or hydrido derivatives of the foregoing; inorganic and organic
oxygen-containing chelates of silicon, non-silicon metalloids or metals and any organic, organometallic or hydrido derivatives of the foregoing; and inorganic and organic esters of the hydoxides of silicon, non-silicon metalloids or metals and any organic, organometallic or hydrido derivatives of the foregoing; and inorganic and organic hydolyzable salts, complexes or conjugates of the hydroxides of silicon, non-silicon metalloids or metals and any organic, organometallic and hydrido derivates of the foregoing.