Effect of anionic surfactant on vaterite CaCO3

Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) crystals with various shapes have been synthesized by aging calcium chloride and urea hybrid solution containing sodium dodecylsulfonate (SDSN) or sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (SDBS) in a 90 °C bath. The effects of SDSN and SDBS on the morphology and polymorph of precipitated CaCO3 are investigated with the help of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrometer and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Flower-like vaterite changes from monolayer to multilayer structure with the increase of SDSN concentration. While the crystal shape changes from plate-like, through rose-shaped, hat-like, to bicone-like as the concentration of SDBS is increased.