Para-amino benzoic acid-mediated synthesis of vaterite phase of calcium carbonate

Abstract

Abstract Calcium carbonate polymorphs were precipitated at room temperature and 80°C by varying the precipitation pH, carbonate source, effect of solvent in presence and absence of structure directing agent such as para-aminobenzoic acid. Calcite phase of calcium carbonate was obtained when sodium hydrogen carbonate and/or sodium carbonate (used as precipitating agents) were added to calcium chloride solution at different pHs in water and/or methanol as solvent in separate experiments. Vaterite phase of calcium carbonate (CaCO 3) has been synthesized by mixing calcium chloride and sodium carbonate in presence of para-aminobenzoic acid when water-methanol binary mixture was used as solvent. Vaterite phase of calcium carbonate crystallizes in P63/mmc, while that of calcite phase in R-3mc, respectively. Calcite phase of calcium carbonate exhibits rhombohedral morphology, while vaterite phase has spherical morphology.