Properties of amorphous calcium carbonate and the template action of vaterite spheres

The fast mixing of aqueous solutions of calcium chloride and sodium carbonate could immediately result in amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC). Under vigorous stirring, the formed ACC in the precipitation system will dissolve first and, then, transform within minutes to produce crystalline forms of vaterite and calcite. After that, the solution-mediated mechanism dominates the transformation of the thermodynamically unstable vaterite into the thermodynamically stable calcite. Although ACC is the least stable form of the six anhydrous phases of calcium carbonate (CaCO(3)), it could be, however, produced and stabilized by a variety of organisms. To better understand the formation-transformation mechanism of ACC and vaterite into calcite, ex-situ methods (i.e., scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy) were used to characterize the formation-transformation process of ACC and vaterite in aqueous systems without organic additives, showing that ACC sampled at different conditions has different properties (i.e., lifetime, morphology, and spectrum characterization). It is also very interesting to capture the obviously polycrystalline particles of CaCO(3) during the transformation process from vaterite to calcite, which suggests the formation mechanism for the calcite superstructure with multidimensional morphology.     

Heat capacity and thermodynamic functions of crystalline poly(p‐phenylenebenzobisoxazole), the synthetic polymer with the highest Young's modulus

The heat capacity of crystalline poly(p‐phenylenebenzobisoxazole) was measured below room temperature by adiabatic calorimetry. The standard thermodynamic functions (enthalpy, entropy, and Gibbs energy) were established and tabulated. The temperature dependence of the heat capacity was compared with those of polyethylene and poly(p‐phenylene), with attention paid to the low dimensionality of the systems. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 38: 1584–1588, 2000     

Heat capacity of poly(butylene terephthalate)

The low‐temperature heat capacity of poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) was measured from 5 to 330 K. The experimental heat capacity of solid PBT, below the glass transition, was linked to its approximate group and skeletal vibrational spectrum. The 21 skeletal vibrations were estimated with a general Tarasov equation with the parameters Θ₁ = 530 K and Θ₂ = Θ₃ = 55 K. The calculated and experimental heat capacities of solid PBT agreed within better than ±3% between 5 and 200 K. The newly calculated vibrational heat capacity of the solid from this study and the liquid heat capacity from the ATHAS Data Bank were applied as reference values for a quantitative thermal analysis of the apparent heat capacity of semicrystalline PBT between the glass and melting transitions as obtained by differential scanning calorimetry. From these results, the integral thermodynamic functions (enthalpy, entropy, and Gibbs function) of crystalline and amorphous PBT were calculated. Finally, the changes in the crystallinity with the temperature were analyzed. With the crystallinity, a baseline was constructed that separated the thermodynamic heat capacity from cold crystallization, reorganization, annealing, and melting effects contained in the apparent heat capacity. For semicrystalline PBT samples, the mobile‐amorphous and rigid‐amorphous fractions were estimated to complete the thermal analysis. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 4401–4411, 2004     

水与正丁醇二元体系最低共沸混合物的热容

Molar heat capacities of n-butanol and the azeotropic mixture in the binary system [water （x=0.716） plus n-butanol （x=0.284）] were measured with an adiabatic calorimeter in a temperature range from 78 to 320 K. The functions of the heat capacity with respect to thermodynamic temperature were estabhshed for the azeotropic mixture. A glass transition was observed at （111.9±1.2） K. The phase transitions took place at （179.26±0.77） and （269.69±0.14） K corresponding to the solid-hquid phase transitions of n-butanol and water, respectively. The phase-transition enthalpy and entropy of water were calculated. A thermodynamic function of excess molar heat capacity with respect to temperature was estabhshed, which took account of physical mixing, destructions of self-association and cross-association for n-butanol and water, respectively. The thermodynamic functions and the excess thermodynamic ones of the binary systems relative to 298.15 K were derived based on the relationships of the thermodynamic functions and the function of the measured heat capacity and the calculated excess heat capacity with respect to temperature.     

The standard enthalpy of formation and low-temperature heat capacity of 1,1′,3,3′-tetra-(<Emphasis Type="Italic">tert</Emphasis>-butyl)ferrocene

The heat capacity of crystalline 1,1′,3,3′-tetra-(tert-butyl)ferrocene (TTBF) was measured in an adiabatic vacuum calorimeter over the temperature range 5–302 K. The thermodynamic functions of TTBF in the crystalline state were calculated from T→0 to 302 K. The enthalpy of combustion of TTBF was determined in an isothermal calorimeter with a stationary bomb. The standard thermodynamic functions of formation of the compound in the crystalline state at 298.15 K were calculated.     

利用室温固态反应制备球霰石型CaCO3粒子

合成形态、大小及结构可人为调控的无机材料是现代材料科学的重要研究方向[1]. 借助于各类有机添加剂及模板剂的调控作用, 可利用溶液合成方法制备出形貌与结构受到有效调控的无机粒子[2,3]. 室温固态化学反应已被成功地应用于多种无机纳米粒子[4]及纳米线[5]的合成, 并显示出高效、节能、无污染和操作简便等优点, 因而在材料合成领域具有应用前景[6].     

Direct Observation of the Distribution of Gelatin in Calcium Carbonate Crystals by Super‐Resolution Fluorescence Microscopy

Biological organic–inorganic hybrid materials often achieve excellent properties and provide inspiration for the design of advanced materials. The organic phase plays a key role in determining the properties of biogenic materials, and the spatial arrangement of organic and inorganic phases provides direct evidence for interaction between the two phases. Super‐resolution fluorescence microscopy was used to visualize the gelatin distribution in two different crystalline polymorphs of calcium carbonate (vaterite and calcite) and to investigate the process by which gelatin is excluded from the crystals. The results demonstrated that gelatin is distributed through vaterite microspheres in the form of nanoparticles, whereas it tends to accumulate on the edges of the calcite rhombohedra.     

Role of Polyelectrolytes in Crystallogenesis of Calcium Carbonate

The effects anionic polyelectrolytes, having various molecular weights and repeating unit structures, on the crystallization of calcium carbonate in supersaturated solutions are studied. The induction times of the crystals grown in the presence of the polymers were optically evaluated; X-ray diffraction and Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM) analyses were performed to determine, respectively, their crystalline structures and morphologies. The polyelectrolyte is found to lengthen the induction time and to reduce the size of CaCO₃ nanocrystallites, to an extent depending on the interaction efficiency between the polymer anionic repeating units and the calcium ions. Further, depending on their sizes and their crystalline structures (calcite, vaterite) the nanocrystallites aggregate and yield final calcium carbonate particles having various sizes and morphologies. The data indicate that nanocrystals having vaterite structure, as determined by X-ray analysis, give spherical CaCO₃ final particles, while nanocrystals having calcite structure lead to either acicular or flower shapes of CaCO₃ final particles.     

Structure and thermodynamic melting parameters of wheat starches with different amylose content

The hierarchical granule structure of starches with different amylose content extracted from winter wheat was investigated using light microscopy (LM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXS), high-sensitivity differential scanning calorimetry (HS DSC) and different thermodynamic approaches. Morphology (size, size distribution and shape), crystallinity of native granules with different amylose content (1.5-39.5%), as well as the cooperative melting unit, thickness of crystalline lamellae, heat capacity drop related to hydration during melting of native granules, and thermodynamic parameters related to the surface of crystalline lamellae were determined. The relationship between structure and thermodynamic properties of mutant wheat starches is discussed. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

乙醇和甲苯组成的最低共沸混合物热力学性质的研究

The molar heat capacity of the azeotropic mixture composed of ethanol and toluene was measured by a high precision adiabatic calorimeter from 80 to 320 K. The glass transition and phase transitions of the azeotropic mixture were determined based on the heat capacity measurements. A glass transition at 103.350 K was found. A solid-solid phase transition at 127.282 K, two solid-liquid phase transitions at 153.612 and 160.584 K were observed, which correspond to the transition of metastable crystal to stable crystal of ethanol and the melting of ethanol and toluene, respectively. The thermodynamic functions and the excess ones of the mixture relative to the standard temperature 298.15 K were derived based on the relationships of the thermodynamic functions and the function of the measured heat capacity with respect to temperature.     

Differentiating calcium carbonate polymorphs by surface analysis techniques—an XPS and TOF‐SIMS study

Calcium carbonate has evoked interest owing to its use as a biomaterial, and for its potential in biomineralization. Three polymorphs of calcium carbonate, i.e. calcite, aragonite, and vaterite were synthesized. Three conventional bulk analysis techniques, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), and SEM, were used to confirm the crystal phase of each polymorphic calcium carbonate. Two surface analysis techniques, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and time‐of‐flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy (TOF‐SIMS), were used to differentiate the surfaces of these three polymorphs of calcium carbonate. XPS results clearly demonstrate that the surfaces of these three polymorphs are different as seen in the Ca(2p) and O(1s) core‐level spectra. The different atomic arrangement in the crystal lattice, which provides for a different chemical environment, can explain this surface difference. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to analyze the TOF‐SIMS data. Three polymorphs of calcium carbonate cluster into three different groups by PCA scores. This suggests that surface analysis techniques are as powerful as conventional bulk analysis to discriminate calcium carbonate polymorphs. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Free energy and structure of calcium carbonate nanoparticles during early stages of crystallization

We introduce a metadynamics based scheme for computing the free energy of nanoparticles as a function of their crystalline order. The method is applied to small nanoparticles of the biomineral calcium carbonate to determine the preferred structure during early stages of crystal growth. For particles 2 nm in diameter, we establish a large energetic preference for amorphous particle morphologies. Particles with partial crystalline order consistent with vaterite are also observed with substantially lower probability. The absence of the stable calcite phase and stability of the amorphous state support recent conjectures that calcite formation starts via the deposition of amorphous calcium carbonate.     

乙醇/水混合溶剂体系中碳酸钙晶体晶型和取向的控制

采用(NH4)2CO3分解法,制备得到了晶型和形貌可控的CaCO3晶体。研究结果表明,乙醇/水混合溶剂、陈化时间和L-半胱氨酸自组装单层模板对CaCO3晶体的晶型、取向和形貌都具有重要影响。无单层模板情况下,溶液中主要得到了球霰石,球霰石的形貌随陈化时间从花朵外形变为树叶形。同样的醇/水体系中,在自组装单层上却得到了取向为(104)晶面的方解石。这与水溶液中同一自组装单层上主要获得(001)结晶面的方解石有明显不同。方解石的形貌也随陈化时间变化而改变。陈化时间为3h时,得到具有孔洞结构的方解石;陈化时间为12 h时,得到表面光滑的菱面体方解石。     

Evolution Mechanism of Calcium Carbonate in Solution

Calcium carbonate was synthesized in a CaCl₂/NaCO₃ mixed solution by using ethylenedi-aminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) as an additive. The thermodynamics and kinetics analyses indicate that although the driving force of amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) precipi-tation is always less than that of calcite and vaterite precipitation, the nucleation rate of ACC is greater than that of calcite and vaterite at the initial stage of the precipitation reaction. With the increasing incubation time, vaterite and calcite particles nucleate het-erogeneously by using the as-formed particles as active sites. Scanning electron microscopyimages indicate that the transformation mechanism of ACC and vaterite to calcite is the dissolution-recrystallisation reaction. The presence of EDTA not only improves the stabil-ities of ACC and vaterite, but also leads to forming enlongated, connected rhombohedralcalcite crystals after incubation 7 days in solutions. The ACC and vaterite are stabler in air than in solutions at room temperature, although the dissolution-recrystallisation reaction occurs on the surface.     

乙醇/水混合溶剂体系中碳酸钙晶体晶型和取向的控制

采用（NH₄）₂CO₃分解法,制备得到了晶型和形貌可控的CaCO₃晶体。研究结果表明,乙醇/水混合溶剂、陈化时间和L-半胱氨酸自组装单层模板对CaCO₃晶体的晶型、取向和形貌都具有重要影响。无单层模板情况下,溶液中主要得到了球霰石,球霰石的形貌随陈化时间从花朵外形变为树叶形。同样的醇/水体系中,在自组装单层上却得到了取向为（104）晶面的方解石。这与水溶液中同一自组装单层上主要获得（001）结晶面的方解石有明显不同。方解石的形貌也随陈化时间变化而改变。陈化时间为3h时,得到具有孔洞结构的方解石;陈化时间为12h时,得到表面光滑的菱面体方解石。     

The thermodynamic properties of <Emphasis Type="Italic">bis</Emphasis>-(η<Superscript>5</Superscript>-cyclopentadienylirondicarbonyl)

The temperature dependence of the heat capacity of crystalline bis-(η⁵-cyclopentadienylirondicarbonyl) was studied over the temperature range 5–495 K in precision adiabatic vacuum and differential scanning calorimeters. The temperature dependence contained an anomaly (160–295 K) with a maximum at 250 K interpreted as a λ transition in the solid state. The fusion of the sample occurred at 435–491 K; it was accompanied by partial substance decomposition. The thermodynamic functions of crystalline bis-(η⁵-cyclopentadienylirondicarbonyl) were calculated from T→0 to 472.9 K. The enthalpy of combustion of the compound was determined in an isothermal calorimeter with a stationary bomb. The standard thermodynamic functions of its formation in the crystalline state at 298.15 K were calculated.     

丙酮+环己烷+甲醇组成的最低共沸混合物热力学性质的研究

Molar heat capacities of the pure samples of acetone,methanol and the azeotropic mixture composed of acetone,cyclohexane and methanol were measured by an adiabatic calorimeter from 78 to 320 K.The solid-solid andsolid-liquid phase transitions of the pure samples and the mixture were determined based on the curve of the heatcapacity with respect to temperature.The phase transitions took place at(126.16±0.68)and(178.96±1.47)K forthe sample of acetone,(157.79±0.95)and(175.93±0.95)K for methanol,which were corresponding to thesolid-solid and the solid-liquid phase transitions of the acetone and the methanol,respectively.And the phase tran-sitions occurred in the temperature ranges of 120 to 190 K and 278 to 280 K corresponding to the solid-solid andthe solid-liquid phase transitions of mixture of acetone,cyclohexane and methanol,respectively.The thermody-namic functions and the excess thermodynamic functions of the mixture relative to standard temperature of 298.15K were derived based on the relationships of the thermodynamic functions and the function of the measured heatcapacity with respect to temperature.     

X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy studies of calcium carbonate electrodeposited on a steel surface

Calcium carbonate was deposited on a stainless steel surface with the use of an electrical potential of 10 V. The crystals formed on the surface were examined with X-ray diffraction and with scanning electron microscopy, which revealed that calcite, vaterite and amorphous calcium carbonate was formed. Two different surface active polymers were added to the solution and their effect on the crystal structure was investigated. It was found that the more hydrophilic of the two polymers promoted calcite growth and suppressed vaterite growth. The more hydrophobic polymer completely inhibited vaterite growth. Both polymers decreased the amount of crystals formed on the steel surface, the more hydrophobic polymer being the most effective. The crystal inhibition efficiency was enhanced close to the cloud point of the polymers. The results were compared with the effect of poly(acrylic acid), a commonly used antiscalant. It was found that poly(acrylic acid) was about as efficient as the more hydrophobic polymer in decreasing the amount of calcium carbonate. At higher concentrations of poly(acrylic acid), almost all of the calcium carbonate precipitated in the amorphous form.     

双亲水性嵌段共聚物对CaCO_3结晶的影响

以合成的带有磺酸基为端基的线型-超支化二嵌段共聚物PEG-b-PEI-SO3H为模板,探讨了其对CaCO3结晶的影响,并用FTIR、XRD、SEM、TEM等对产物进行了表征.结果表明,带有—SO3H端基的线型-超支化双亲水性嵌段共聚物PEG-b-PEI-SO3H对CaCO3晶体形貌和晶型表现出较强的调控能力.培养1天时得到空心环状方解石型CaCO3晶体,但当培养时间为3天和5天时,得到的CaCO3晶体形貌既有河蚌状也有类球状,同时其晶型既有方解石也有球霰石,而当培养时间达到7天后,得到的就只有球状球霰石CaCO3晶体.     

On the structure of amorphous calcium carbonate--a detailed study by solid-state NMR spectroscopy

The calcium carbonate phases calcite, aragonite, vaterite, monohydrocalcite (calcium carbonate monohydrate), and ikaite (calcium carbonate hexahydrate) were studied by solid-state NMR spectroscopy ( (1)H and (13)C). Further model compounds were sodium hydrogencarbonate, potassium hydrogencarbonate, and calcium hydroxide. With the help of these data, the structure of synthetically prepared additive-free amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) was analyzed. ACC contains molecular water (as H 2O), a small amount of mobile hydroxide, and no hydrogencarbonate. This supports the concept of ACC as a transient precursor in the formation of calcium carbonate biominerals.