Formation of stable vaterite with poly(acrylic acid) by the delayed addition method

Size Control of Biomimetic Curved-Edge Vaterite with Chiral Toroid Morphology via Sonochemical Synthesis

The metastable vaterite polymorph of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) holds significant practical importance, particularly in regenerative medicine, drug delivery, and various personal care products. Controlling the size and morphology of vaterite particles is crucial for biomedical applications. This study explored the synergistic effect of ultrasonic (US) irradiation and acidic amino acids on CaCO3 synthesis, specifically the size, dispersity, and crystallographic phase of curved-edge vaterite with chiral toroids (chiral-curved vaterite). We employed 40 kHz US irradiation and introduced L- or D-aspartic acid as an additive for the formation of spheroidal chiral-curved vaterite in an aqueous solution of CaCl2 and Na2CO3 at 20 ± 1 °C. Chiral-curved vaterites precipitated through mechanical stirring (without US irradiation) exhibited a particle size of approximately 15 μm, whereas those formed under US irradiation were approximately 6 μm in size and retained their chiral topoid morphology. When a fluorescent dye was used for the analysis of loading efficiency, the size-reduced vaterites with chiral morphology, produced through US irradiation, exhibited a larger loading efficiency than the vaterites produced without US irradiation. These results hold significant value for the preparation of biomimetic chiral-curved CaCO3, specifically size-reduced vaterites, as versatile biomaterials for material filling, drug delivery, and bone regeneration.

Using phenolic polymers to control the size and morphology of calcium carbonate microparticles

Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) is a naturally occurring mineral that occurs in biology and is used industrially. Due to its benign nature, CaCO3 microparticles have found use in the food and medical fields, where the specific size of the microparticles determine their functionality and potential applications. We demonstrate that phenolic polymers with different numbers of hydroxy groups can be used to control the diameter of CaCO3 microparticles in a range of 2-9 μm, and obtained particles were relatively uniform. The largest particles (∼9 μm in diameter) were obtained using poly(2,3,4,5-tetrahydroxystyrene) (P4HS), which showed the highest water solubility among the tested phenolic polymers. The polymer concentration and stirring speed influenced the size of microparticles, where the size of the obtained particles became smaller as the concentrations of phenolic polymers increased and as the stirring speed increased, both likely due to promoting the formation of a large number of individual crystal seeds by shielding seed-seed fusion and increasing the chances for precursor contact, respectively. The preparation time and temperature had a great influence on the morphology of the CaCO3 particles, where vaterite transforms into calcite over time. Specifically, aragonite crystals were observed at preparation temperature of 80 °C and vaterite particles with rough surfaces were obtained at 40 °C. Molecular weight and scale of reaction were also factors which affect the size and morphologies of CaCO3 particles. This research represents a facile method for producing relatively monodisperse CaCO3 microparticles with diameters that have previously proven difficult to access.

Bioprocess inspired formation of calcite mesocrystals by cation-mediated particle attachment mechanism

Calcite mesocrystals were proposed, and have been widely reported, to form in the presence of polymer additives via oriented assembly of nanoparticles. However, the formation mechanism and the role of polymer additives remain elusive. Here, inspired by the biomineralization process of sea urchin spine comprising magnesium calcite mesocrystals, we show that calcite mesocrystals could also be obtained via attachment of amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) nanoparticles in the presence of inorganic zinc ions. Moreover, we demonstrate that zinc ions can induce the formation of temporarily stabilized amorphous nanoparticles of less than 20 nm at a significantly lower calcium carbonate concentration as compared to pure solution, which is energetically beneficial for the attachment and occlusion during calcite growth. The cation-mediated particle attachment crystallization significantly improves our understanding of mesocrystal formation mechanisms in biomineralization and offers new opportunities to bioprocess inspired inorganic ions regulated materials fabrication.

In vitro crystallization of calcium carbonate mediated by proteins extracted from P. placenta shells

The ASM extracted from the shells of P. placenta can stabilize ACC and inhibit secondary nucleation for 10 hours, and an explosive secondary nucleation and quick crystal growth from 50 nm to 10 μm can be finished on the shell surface in one hour.

Ultrasonic-assisted eggshell extract-mediated polymorphic transformation of calcium carbonate

This study aimed to evaluate the combined effects of eggshell extract and ultrasonic irradiation on the polymorphic transformation of calcium carbonate (CaCO₃). In this context, XRD, Raman spectroscopy, SEM, AFM, TGA-FTIR, BET, and zeta potential analysis were used to identify and characterize the different polymorphs of CaCO₃ obtained in the absence and presence of eggshell extract in the media with and without ultrasonic irradiation. The morphology and polymorphic nature of the CaCO₃ crystals were observed to change, which indicated that the eggshell extract and ultrasonication influenced the structure and crystallization of CaCO₃. The structural analysis results indicated that the addition of eggshell extract to the media resulted in the full transformation of calcite to the vaterite polymorph. The results also showed that ultrasonic irradiation had a more significant influence on the BET specific surface area of the crystals compared to the eggshell extract media. Furthermore, a Box-Behnken design with response surface methodology was employed to determine the optimal operating conditions for CaCO₃ crystallization. The effects of stirring rate, extract concentration, and ultrasonic power on the BET surface area were investigated. The results show that the data sufficiently fit the second-order polynomial model. Understanding the eggshell extract-mediated polymorphic transformation with ultrasonic irradiation obtained in this study makes it possible to control the polymorphic formation and modify the product characteristics.

Preparation of Water Suspensions of Nanocalcite for Cultural Heritage Applications

The consolidation of degraded carbonate stone used in ancient monuments is an important topic for European cultural heritage conservation. The products most frequently used as consolidants are based on tetraalkoxy- or alkylalkoxy-silanes (in particular tetraethyl-orthosilicate, TEOS), resulting in the formation of relatively stable amorphous silica or alkylated (hydrophobic) silica inside the stone pores. However, silica is not chemically compatible with carbonate stones; in this respect, nanocalcite may be a suitable alternative. The present work concerns the preparation of water suspensions of calcite nanoparticles (CCNPs) by controlled carbonation of slaked lime using a pilot-scale reactor. A simplified design of experiment was adopted for product optimization. Calcite nanoparticles of narrow size distribution averaging about 30 nm were successfully obtained, the concentration of the interfacial agent and the size of CaO being the most critical parameters. Primary nanoparticle aggregation causing flocculation could be substantially prevented by the addition of polymeric dispersants. Copolymer-based dispersants were produced in situ by controlled heterophase polymerisation mediated by an amphiphilic macro-RAFT (reversible addition-fragmentation transfer) agent. The stabilized CCNP aqueous dispersions were then applied on carbonate and silicate substrates; Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)analysis of cross-sections allowed the evaluation of pore penetration, interfacial binding, and bridging (gap-filling) properties of these novel consolidants.

Preparation and characterization of calcium carbonate microspheres and their potential application as drug carriers

The influence of lecithin from egg yolk (LE) on calcium carbonate (CaCO3) biomineralization was investigated. In the present study, spherical CaCO3 particles were synthesized via coprecipitation in the presence of LE. LE multilamellar liposomes were first tuned by sonication to provide better control over the nucleation of CaCO3. Subsequently, monodisperse microspheres ~2 µm in size were generated by controlling the aggregation and growth of CaCO3 under appropriate concentrations of LE. In contrast to unstable vaterite, the microspheres generated in aqueous solution remained stable for at least 10 days without transforming into calcite, due to the strong interaction between the LE and calcium ions. The microspheres as drug carriers of doxorubicin (DOX) were assessed and were observed to have a good encapsulation efficiency, sustained drug release without a burst release and notable pH sensitivity. In addition, in vivo tumor inhibition examination demonstrated that DOX‑loaded CaCO3 microspheres formulation had more superior efficacy to significantly restrain tumor growth. These novel LE/CaCO3 hybrids may provide novel options for various biomedical applications.

Control of Polymorph Selection in Amorphous Calcium Carbonate Crystallization by Poly(Aspartic Acid): Two Different Mechanisms

Poly(aspartic acid) (pAsp) is known to stabilize amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) and affect its crystallization pathways. However, little is known about the mechanisms behind these phenomena. Here it is shown that ACC is stabilized by pAsp molecules in the solution rather than by the amount of pAsp incorporated into the ACC bulk, and that the effect of pAsp on the polymorph selection is entirely different at low and high concentration of pAsp. At low concentrations, pAsp is more effective in inhibiting the nucleation and growth of vaterite than calcite. At high concentrations, when calcite formation is prevented, the crystallization of vaterite proceeds via a pseudomorphic transformation of ACC nanospheres, where vaterite nucleates on the surface of ACC nanospheres and grows by a local transformation of the bulk ACC phase. These results shed some light on the function of pAsp during an ACC-mediated biomineralization process and provide an explanation for the presence of metastable vaterite at conditions where calcite is thermodynamically favored.

Safety assessments of subcutaneous doses of aragonite calcium carbonate nanocrystals in rats

Calcium carbonate nanoparticles have shown promising potentials in the delivery of drugs and metabolites. There is however, a paucity of information on the safety of their intentional or accidental over exposures to biological systems and general health safety. To this end, this study aims at documenting information on the safety of subcutaneous doses of biogenic nanocrystals of aragonite polymorph of calcium carbonate derived from cockle shells (ANC) in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. ANC was synthesized using the top-down method, characterized using the transmission electron microscopy and field emission scanning electron microscope and its acute and repeated dose 28-day trial toxicities were evaluated in SD rats. The results showed that the homogenous 30 ± 5 nm-sized spherical pure aragonite nanocrystals were not associated with mortality in the rats. Severe clinical signs and gross and histopathological lesions, indicating organ toxicities, were recorded in the acute toxicity (29,500 mg/m²) group and the high dose (5900 mg/m²) group of the repeated dose 28-day trial. However, the medium- (590 mg/m² body weight) and low (59 mg/m²)-dose groups showed moderate to mild lesions. The relatively mild lesions observed in the low toxicity dosage group marked the safety margin of ANC in SD rats. It was concluded from this study that the toxicity of CaCO₃ was dependent on the particulate size (30 ± 5 nm) and concentration and the route of administration used.

Synthesis, characterization, and cytocompatibility of potential cockle shell aragonite nanocrystals for osteoporosis therapy and hormonal delivery

Calcium carbonate is a porous inorganic nanomaterial with huge potential in biomedical applications and controlled drug delivery. This study aimed at evaluating the physicochemical properties and in vitro efficacy and safety of cockle shell aragonite calcium carbonate nanocrystals (ANC) as a potential therapeutic and hormonal delivery vehicle for osteoporosis management. Free and human recombinant parathyroid hormone 1-34 (PTH 1-34)-loaded cockle shell aragonite calcium carbonate nanocrystals (PTH-ANC) were synthesized and evaluated using standard procedures. Transmission electron microscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy results demonstrated highly homogenized spherical-shaped aragonite nanocrystals of 30±5 nm diameter. PTH-ANC had a zeta potential of -27.6±8.9 mV. The encapsulation efficiency of the formulation was found to be directly proportional to the concentrations of the drug fed. The X-ray diffraction patterns revealed strong crystallizations with no positional change of peaks before and after PTH-ANC synthesis. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy demonstrated no detectable interactions between micron-sized aragonite and surfactant at molecular level. PTH-ANC formulation was stabilized at pH 7.5, enabling sustained slow release of PTH 1-34 for 168 h (1 week). A 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide cytocompatibility assay in Human Foetal Osteoblast Cell Line hFOB 1.19 showed that ANC can safely support osteoblast proliferation up to 48 h whereas PTH-ANC can safely support the proliferation at 72 h and beyond due to the sustained slow release of PTH 1-34. It was concluded that due to its biogenic nature, ANC is a cytocompatible antiosteoporotic agent. It doubles as a nanocarrier for the enhancement of efficacy and safety of the bone anabolic PTH 1-34. ANC is expected to reduce the cost, dosage, and dose frequency associated with the use of PTH 1-34 management of primary and secondary forms of osteoporosis.

Effect of Polyelectrolyte and Fatty Acid Soap on the Formation of CaCO3 in the Bulk and the Deposit on Hard Surfaces

The effects of sodium polyacrylate (NaPAA) as well as potassium oleate on the nucleation and calcium carbonate crystal growth on hard surfaces, i.e., stainless steel and silica, have been investigated at different temperatures. The relation between the surface deposition and the corresponding bulk processes has been revealed by combining dynamic light scattering (DLS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and ellipsometry. The aim was to further our understanding of the crystal deposition/growth mechanism and how it can be controlled by the presence of polyelectrolytes (NaPAA) or soap (potassium oleate). The addition of polyelectrolytes (NaPAA) or soap (potassium oleate) decreases the size of CaCO3 particles in bulk solution and affects both crystal structure and morphology in the bulk as well as on hard surfaces. The amount of particles on hard surfaces decreases significantly in the presence of both potassium oleate and NaPAA. This was found to be a consequence of potassium oleate or NaPAA adsorption on the hard surface as well as on the CaCO3 crystal surfaces. Here, the polymer NaPAA exhibited a stronger inhibition effect on the formation and growth of CaCO3 particles than potassium oleate.

Biomineralization of stable and monodisperse vaterite microspheres using silk nanoparticles

The influence of silk fibroin (SF) on calcium carbonate (CaCO3) biomineralization has been investigated; however, the formation of small, uniform SF-regulated vaterite microspheres has not been reported. In this work, spherical CaCO3 was synthesized via coprecipitation in the presence of SF. SF nanostructures were first tuned by self-assembly at 60 °C to provide better control of the nucleation of CaCO3. Subsequently, monodisperse vaterite microspheres about 1.1 μm were generated by controlling aggregation and growth of CaCO3 under appropriate concentrations of SF and Ca ions. In contrast to unstable vaterite, the microspheres generated in the present study have sufficient stability in aqueous solution for at least 8 days without transformation into calcite, due to the electrostatic interactions between the Ca ions and the preassembled SF nanostructures. The microspheres as drug carriers of doxorubicin (DOX) were assessed and found to have good encapsulation efficiency, sustained drug release without burst release, and pH sensitivity. These new SF/CaCO3 hybrids may provide new options for various biomedical applications.

Switchable dispersivity and molecular-trapping performance of mesostructured CaCO3–thermosensitive polymer composite microspheres

Dispersivity and molecular-trapping performance of mesostructured CaCO₃–thermosensitive polymer composite microspheres were switched by a swing in temperature.

Phase transformation of mesoporous calcium carbonate by mechanical stirring

Mechanically stirring the precursor colloidal dispersion can control the polymorphs of mesoporous calcium carbonate.

Rapid carbonation for calcite from a solid-liquid-gas system with an imidazolium-based ionic liquid

Aqueous carbonation of Ca(OH)₂ is a complex process that produces calcite with scalenohedral calcite phases and characterized by inadequate carbonate species for effective carbonation due to the poor dissolution of CO₂ in water. Consequently, we report a solid-liquid-gas carbonation system with an ionic liquid (IL), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide, in view of enhancing the reaction of CO₂ with Ca(OH)₂. The use of the IL increased the solubility of CO₂ in the aqueous environment and enhanced the transport of the reactive species (Ca²⁺ and CO₃²⁻) and products. The presence of the IL also avoided the formation of the CaCO₃ protective and passivation layer and ensured high carbonation yields, as well as the production of stoichiometric rhombohedral calcite phases in a short time.

Growth of aragonite phase calcium carbonate on the surface of a titania-modified filter paper

Growth of aragonite CaCO₃ crystals on titania coated cellulose fibres of filter paper was achieved to give a superhydrophobic composite.

Morphology controlling of calcium carbonate by self-assembled surfactant micelles on PET substrate

In the present work, spherical and hexagonal CaCO₃ were fabricated on different surfactant micelle-modified PET substrates at liquid–liquid interfaces. The results revealed a same nanoparticle-mediate self-organization process in which the surfactants act not only as regulators but also as templates.

Effects of amine, amine salt and amide on the behaviour of carbon dioxide absorption into calcium hydroxide suspension to precipitate calcium carbonate

The amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) absorption and calcium ion (Ca2+) concentration besides the pH of aqueous solution were observed during the CO2 absorption to precipitate calcium carbonate (CaCO3) from calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2). A reaction rate-limiting effect of an amount of CO2 absorption without any organic additives in the early stage of the precipitation was observed, which was attributed to an interruption effect of bicarbonate ion (HCO3(-)) on the precipitation of CaCO3. The improvement for the reaction rate was achieved not only by amine additives but also by neutral additives such as epsilon-caprolactam or amine salt. When the hexamethylene diamine was dissolved in the solution, successive change of crystal forms of CaCO3 aragonite to calcite in aqueous suspensions, confirmed by Ca2+ concentration change and X-ray diffraction, was concluded that a local environment around the amine group in aqueous solution and an interaction of the diamine with precipitated CaCO3 particles were important factors for these reactions.

Influence of poly(acrylic acid) on apatite formation studied byin situX-ray diffraction using an X-ray scattering reaction cell with high-precision temperature control

Organic additives influence crystallization processes in a multitude of ways. In biomineralization,e.g.bone or shell, such additives play a crucial role in morphology, and in polymorph and size control. However, the specific interactions between the additives and the growing mineral are in general unknown. Here, a model of bone mineralization, namely the formation of apatite nanocrystals under the influence of poly(acrylic acid), is studied usingin situX-ray diffraction. Since the kinetics of these reactions are very temperature dependent, a new X-ray scattering reaction cell has been developed that allows very high temperature precision, with an r.m.s. variation during operation of ∼0.05 K. The performance of the cell and its use in studying the apatite/poly(acrylic acid) system are discussed. The apatite formation process proceedsviathe formation of an amorphous precursor which then crystallizes. It is found that poly(acrylic acid) retards crystallization and reduces the growth rate of the forming crystallites.

Antiscalant removal in accelerated desupersaturation of RO concentrate via chemically-enhanced seeded precipitation (CESP)

An experimental study was carried out to demonstrate and quantify the feasibility of antiscalant (AS) removal from brackish water RO concentrate of high gypsum scaling propensity via lime treatment prior to seeded gypsum precipitation. Based on studies with model solutions, it was shown that sufficient AS removal (up to ∼90%) from RO concentrate is feasible via a lime treatment step (at a dose significantly lower than that required for conventional lime softening) to enable effective subsequent seeded gypsum precipitation. This two-step chemically-enhanced seeded precipitation (CESP) treatment of primary RO concentrate is suitable as an intermediate concentrate demineralization (ICD) stage for high recovery desalting employing secondary RO desalination. Analysis of gypsum precipitation and lime treatment kinetic data suggests that, after adequate CaCO(3) precipitation has been induced for effective AS scavenging, CaSO(4) desupersaturation can be achieved via seeded gypsum precipitation without retardation due to seed poisoning by AS. Also, the lime dose required to prevent seed poisoning during subsequent gypsum desupersaturation via seeded gypsum precipitation can be adequately assessed with a precipitation kinetics model that considers AS seed poisoning based on a Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The degree of AS removal after lime treatment increased linearly with the logarithm of the single lime dose additions. Staged lime dosing (i.e., multiple lime additions), however, removed a higher degree of AS relative to an equivalent single lime dose addition since a higher driving force for CaCO(3) precipitation could be maintained over the course of the lime treatment period.

Impact of sodium polyacrylate on the amorphous calcium carbonate formation from supersaturated solution

A detailed in situ scattering study has been carried out on the formation of amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) particles modulated by the presence of small amounts of sodium polyacrylate chains. The work is aiming at an insight into the modulation of ACC formation by means of two polyacrylate samples differing in their molecular weight by a factor of 50. The ACC formation process was initiated by an in situ generation of CO(3)(2-) ions via hydrolysis of 10 mM dimethylcarbonate in the presence of 10 mM CaCl(2). Analysis of the formation process by means of time-resolved small-angle X-ray and light scattering in the absence of any additives provided evidence for a monomer addition mechanism for the growth of ACC particles. ACC formation under these conditions sets in after a lag-period of some 350 s. In the presence of sodium polyacrylate chains, calcium polyacrylate aggregates are formed during the lag-period, succeeded by a modulated ACC growth in a second step. The presence of anionic polyacrylate chains changed the shape of the growing particles toward loose and less homogeneous entities. In the case of low amounts (1.5-7.5 mg/L) of the long chain additive with 97 kDa, the size of the aggregates is comparable to the size of the successively formed hybrid particles. No variation of the lag-period has been observed in this case. Use of the short chain additive with 2 kDa enabled increase of the additive concentration up to 100 mg/L and resulted in a significant increase of the lag-period. This fact, together with the finding that the resulting hybrid particles remained stable in the latter case, identified short chain sodium polyacrylates as more efficient modulators than long chain polyacrylates.

Highly birefringent vaterite microspheres: production, characterization and applications for optical micromanipulation

This paper reports on a simple synthesis and characterization of highly birefringent vaterite microspheres, which are composed of 20-30 nm sized nanocrystalls. Scanning electron microscopy shows a quite disordered assembly of nanocrystals within the microspheres. However, using optical tweezers, the effective birefringence of the microspheres was measured to be Deltan = 0.06, which compares to Deltan = 0.1 of vaterite single crystals. This suggests a very high orientation of the nanocrystals within the microspheres. A hyperbolic model of the direction of the optical axis throughout the vaterite spherulite best fits the experimental data. Results from polarized light microscopy further confirm the hyperbolic model.

A carbonate controlled-addition method for amorphous calcium carbonate spheres stabilized by poly(acrylic acid)s

Stable amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) composite particle with a size-controlled monodispersed sphere was obtained by a new simple carbonate controlled-addition method by using poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) (Mw = 5000), in which an aqueous ammonium carbonate solution was added into an aqueous solution of PAA and CaCl2 with a different time period. The obtained ACC composite products consist of about 50 wt % of ACC, 30 wt % of PAA, and H2O. Average particle sizes of the ACC spheres increased from (1.8 +/- 0.4) x 102 to (5.5 +/- 1.2) x 102 nm with an increase of the complexation time of the PAA-CaCl2 solution from 3 min to 24 h, respectively. The ACC formed from the complexation time for 3 min was stable for 10 days with gentle stirring as well as 3 months under a quiescent condition in the aqueous solution. Moreover, the ACC was also stable at 400 degrees C. Stability of the amorphous phase decreased with an increase of the complexation time of the PAA-CaCl2 solution. No ACC was obtained when the lower molar mass PAAs (Mw = 1200 and 2100) were used. In the higher molar mass case (Mw = 25 000), a mixture of the amorphous phase and vaterite and calcite crystalline product was produced. The present results demonstrate that the interaction and the reaction kinetics of the PAA-Ca2+-H2O complex play an important role in the mineralization of CaCO3.