Synthesis of high surface area CaSO4·0.5H2O nanorods using calcium ethoxide as precursor

Bio-Inspired Fluorescent Calcium Sulfate for the Conservation of Gypsum Plasterwork

In this work, the potential of bio-inspired strategies for the synthesis of calcium sulfate (CaSO4·nH2O) materials for heritage conservation is explored. For this, a nonclassical multi-step crystallization mechanism to understand the effect of calcein- a fluorescent chelating agent with a high affinity for divalent cations- on the nucleation and growth of calcium sulfate phases is proposed. Moving from the nano- to the macro-scale, this strategy sets the basis for the design and production of fluorescent nano-bassanite (NB-C; CaSO4·0.5H2O), with application as a fully compatible consolidant for the conservation of historic plasterwork. Once applied to gypsum (CaSO4·2H2O) plaster specimens, cementation upon hydration of nano-bassanite results in a significant increase in mechanical strength, while intracrystalline occlusion of calcein in newly-formed gypsum cement improves its weathering resistance. Furthermore, under UV irradiation, the luminescence produced by calcein molecules occluded in gypsum crystals formed upon nano-bassanite hydration allows the easy identification of the newly deposited consolidant within the treated gypsum plaster without altering the substrate's appearance.

Synthesis and characterization of nano crystallite plaster of Paris prepared from waste eggshells and exploration of cytotoxicity, hemolysis and antimicrobial properties

Plaster of Paris, a well-known biomaterial, was synthesized from waste eggshells, which were chosen as an available bio-source of calcium. The produced plaster of Paris was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, UV-Vis spectroscopy, and SEM images along with a few crystallographic parameters such as crystallite size (Scherrer equation and different model equations), lattice parameters, crystallinity index, the volume of the unit cell, microstrain, dislocation density, growth preference, and residual stress from the XRD-sin² Ψ technique. The biomedical competency of the prepared plaster of Paris was evaluated utilizing the cytotoxicity, hemolysis, and antimicrobial activity of E. coli and S. aureus. The cytotoxicity assessment has revealed that the percentages of viable cells were 93-98% and a highly hemocompatible nature (<5%) was exerted by the sample. The plaster of Paris only revealed antimicrobial properties against Gram-positive bacteria (S. aureus), and no effect was noticed for Gram-negative bacteria (E. coli).

Synthesis of nano-crystallite gypsum and bassanite from waste Pila globosa shells: crystallographic characterization

For the first time, in this work, waste Pila globosa shells have been used to synthesize two industrially valuable materials, gypsum and bassanite. In the first stage, gypsum was synthesized using a wet chemical precipitation method. Subsequently, bassanite was produced by the heat treatment of gypsum at a certain temperature (200 °C), which was chosen after TGA and DSC analysis. The synthesized gypsum and bassanite phases were confirmed by XRD with the assistance of FTIR spectroscopy. Various crystallographic parameters of gypsum and bassanite were investigated, such as the crystallite size (a number of models were employed along with the Scherrer equation), crystallinity index, lattice parameters, unit cell volume, dislocation density, relative intensity, preference growth, specific surface area, microstrain (models were also engaged), and residual stress using the XRD-sin² Ψ technique.

For the first time, in this work, waste Pila globosa shells have been used to synthesize two industrially valuable materials, gypsum and bassanite.