• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.222-226
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• 2016

The synthesis of pure calcium carbonate nanocrystals was achieved using a simultaneous injection method to produce nano particles of uniform size. These were characterized using scanning electron microscopy and powder X-ray diffraction. The nano particles were needle-shaped aragonite polymorphs, approximately 100-200 nm in length. The aragonite polymorph of calcium carbonate was prepared using aqueous solutions of $CaCl_2$ and $Na_2CO_3$, which were injected simultaneously into double distilled water at $50^{\circ}C$ and then allowed to react for 1.5 h. The resulting whisker-type nano aragonite with high aspect ratio (30) is biocompatible and potentially suitable for applications in light weight plastics, as well as in the medical, pharmaceutical, cosmetic and paint industries.

• Advanced Composite Materials
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.187-195
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• 2009

Much attention has been paid to the processing of inorganic whisker, especially calcium carbonate whisker, which can be used as reinforcement materials of polymer composite due to its low price. Unfortunately, the present synthesis technique of calcium carbonate whisker starts from calcinations of limestone, which involves high energy consumption and furthermore is a highly environment polluting reaction. In this report, needle-like aragonite was synthesized with a reversible solution reaction from limestone without calcination. Optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques were used to characterize the morphology and crystal structure of intermediates as well as that of the product, aragonite. GCC (grinding calcium carbonate) powder was dissolved in an aqueous solution of magnesium sulfate with reflux and air flush. EDTA titration was used to evaluate reaction rate of the dissolution. A kinetics equation of the dissolution reaction was constructed, which displayed second-order kinetics with respect to the concentration of magnesium sulfate. A rate constant of $0.0015\;l^{-3}{\cdot}mol^{-1}{\cdot}h^{-1}$ was obtained. The dissolution reaction gave fiber-like magnesium hydroxide sulfate and gypsum crystal. Then needle-like aragonite with a length of $9.13\;{\pm}\;1.02\;{\mu}m$ and an aspect ratio of $5.64\;{\pm}\;1.37$ was synthesized from the dissolution product with $CO_2$ bubbling at $70^{\circ}C$.

• Advanced Composite Materials
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.315-326
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• 2009

PCC (precipitated calcium carbonate) and ground calcium carbonate have been widely used in alkaline papermaking. Unfortunately, although increasing filler level in papers can improve the paper properties such as brightness, opacity, stiffness gloss, smoothness, porosity, and printability, as well as decrease cost, some strength of the paper is negatively affected. In this research, needle-like aragonite was synthesized using $Ca(OH)_2$ and $CO_2$ as reactants in the presence of $MgCl_2$ and characterized with scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The physical and optical properties of the paper handsheets containing these needle-like aragonite fillers were evaluated. Results indicated that tensile strength, Z-direction tensile strength and folding endurance of the paper were improved by the needle-like aragonite crystals compared to the paper using commercial PCC (precipitated calcium carbonate) as filler. The stiffness of the paper handsheet on the machine direction was increased, but no evident difference in the cross direction was found. The improvement of paper strength mainly resulted from the twining effect between the aragonite whiskers and paper fibers. The optical properties of the paper were slightly decreased with the use of the needle-like aragonites compared to commercial PCC. These results suggest that paper cost can be decreased by increasing the content of needle-like aragonite filler while paper strength will not be decreased compared to PCC filler.