Facile preparation of CaCO3 with diversified patterns modulated by N-[(2-hydroxyl)-propyl-3-trimethylammonium] chitosan chloride

•Positively charged HTCC was synthesized in AmimCl.•CaCO3 particles with diversified patterns were modulated by HTCC.•Interaction pattern between HTCC and Ca2 + played a key role in modulating CaCO3.•Interaction pattern between HTCC and Ca2 + was influenced by various factors.

Disk-like, rod-like, spindle and bundle-like CaCO3 particles were modulated in N-[(2-hydroxyl)-propyl-3-trimethylammonium] chitosan chloride (HTCC) solutions using a slow vapor diffusion method. The CaCO3 particles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and thermogravimetry analysis (TGA) methods. The influences of various concentrations of HTCC, Ca2 + and Mg2 +, temperature and aging time, on the properties of CaCO3 particles were investigated. It was found that the electrostatic interaction between HTCC and Ca2 +, the intramolecular and intermolecular interactions between HTCC molecules played a key role in the crystallization of CaCO3 with different morphologies and polymorphs. Based on the analysis of CaCO3 particles obtained under different aging time, a mechanism of HTCC modulating CaCO3 crystallization was proposed.

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