Elements · ← Al Aluminum · P Phosphorus →
Diatoms build glassy silica shells, and engineered enzymes can now make carbon–silicon bonds.
| Symbol | Si |
|---|---|
| Atomic number | 14 |
| Standard atomic weight | 28.085 |
| Group | 14 |
| Period | 3 |
| Block | p-block |
| Category | Metalloid |
| Standard state | Solid |
| Discovered | 1854 |
Source: PubChem, Silicon (periodic table data, retrieved 2026-10-19). Group and period follow the standard 18-column periodic table.
Uses proposed by researchers are listed on Potential uses.
Kröger, Deutzmann and Sumper isolated silaffins, chemically modified peptides from diatom cell walls that form networks of silica nanospheres within seconds when added to silicic acid.
As reported in: Kröger, Deutzmann, Sumper (1999). Polycationic Peptides from Diatom Biosilica That Direct Silica Nanosphere Formation. Science. doi:10.1126/science.286.5442.1129
Abstract only
Kan and colleagues found heme proteins can form carbon–silicon bonds under physiological conditions, in vitro and in vivo, and used directed evolution on a Rhodothermus marinus cytochrome c to reach more than 15 times the turnover of the best synthetic catalysts.
As reported in: Kan, Lewis, Chen et al. (2016). Directed evolution of cytochrome c for carbon–silicon bond formation: Bringing silicon to life. Science. doi:10.1126/science.aah6219
Found by name, common compounds and chemical formulas in each entry.
Search Google Patents for silicon in biological and medical uses: all patents · recent applications (2022+)
A patent is a legal claim, not proof that something works. See the Patents page.