In
surface chemistry (especially
mineralogy and
materials science),
lamellar structures are fine layers, alternating between different materials. They can be produced by chemical effects (as in
eutectic solidification), biological means, or a deliberate process of
lamination, such as
pattern welding. Lamellae can also describe the layers of atoms in the
crystal lattices of materials such as metals. In
surface anatomy, a lamella is a thin plate-like structure, often one amongst many lamellae very close to one another, with open space between. In
chemical engineering, the term is used for devices such as
filters and
heat exchangers. In
mycology, a lamella (or gill) is a papery
hymenophore rib under the cap of some
mushroom species, most often
agarics. The term has been used to describe the construction of
lamellar armour, as well as the layered structures that can be described by a
lamellar vector field. In medical professions, especially
orthopedic surgery, the term is used to refer to
3D printed titanium technology which is used to create
implantable
medical devices (in this case,
orthopedic implants). In context of
water-treatment, lamellar filters may be referred to as
plate filters or
tube filters. This term is used to describe a certain type of
ichthyosis, a congenital skin condition. Lamellar Ichthyosis often presents with a "colloidal" membrane at birth. It is characterized by generalized dark scaling. The term
lamella(e) is used in the flooring industry to describe the finished top-layer of an engineered wooden floor. For example, an engineered walnut floor will have several layers of wood and a top walnut lamella. In
archaeology, the term is used for a variety of small flat and thin objects, such as
Amulet MS 5236, a very thin gold plate with a stamped text from
Ancient Greece in the 6th century BC. In
crystallography, the term was first used by
Christopher Chantler and refers to a very thin layer of a perfect crystal, from which curved crystal physics may be derived. In
textile industry, a lamella is a thin metallic strip used alone or wound around a core thread for
goldwork embroidery and
tapestry weaving. In September 2010, the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a
recall of two
medications which contained "extremely thin
glass flakes (lamellae) that are barely visible in most cases. The lamellae result from the interaction of the formulation with
glass vials over the
shelf life of the product." ==See also==