Facile synthesis and properties research of single crystal calcium sulfate nanotubes through reverse micelle method

Single crystal calcium sulfate nanotubes are controllably prepared via a facile reverse micelles method at room temperature. These nanotubes have diameters of about 20 nm and lengths of about 420 nm. XRD curves indicate that as-obtained nanotubes is end-centered monoclinic phase with lattice parameters of a = 6.284 Å, b = 15.193 Å and c = 5.680 Å, which is consistent with the values reported in JCPDS card no. 33-0311. Study on the optical properties of as obtained nanotubes shows that calcium sulfate nanotubes possess different optical properties from bulk counterpart. When reaction condition is controlled, nanorods with better crystallinity are obtained. A mechanism of the formation process is also discussed.