| Abstract: | Structural modeling of amorphous eumelanin has been carried out by comparing calculated data, S(q) and RDF(r), in reciprocal and real space, respectively, for limited random network models with the experimental X-ray scattering data of tyrosine melanin (Cheng et al., 1994). A basic picture of the atomic arrangements in amorphous eumelanin, which accounts for the short and intermediate range order, has been formulated. This reveals domains of a fundamental “particle” dimension of R～ 15 Å, consisting of a paracrystalline array of disordered planar networks polymerized by 4-8 DHI monomers with a graphite-like stacking spacing of ～ 3.45 Å, 4-5 layers thick. |
