The
article describes the phase behavior of cholesteryl hemisuccinate
at the air–liquid interface and its effect on calcium phosphate
(CP) mineralization. The amphiphile forms stable monolayers with phase
transitions at the air–liquid interface from a gas to a tilted
liquid-condensed (TLC) and finally to an untilted liquid-condensed
(ULC) phase. CP mineralization beneath these monolayers leads to crumpled
CP layers made from individual plates. The main crystal phase is octacalcium
phosphate (OCP) along with a minor fraction of hydroxyapatite (HAP),
as confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, energy dispersive
X-ray spectroscopy, bright field transmission electron microscopy,
and electron diffraction.