Facile preparation of diversified patterns of calcium carbonate in the presence of DTAB

Nano- and micro-sized calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) with various morphologies including multi-petal-flower-shaped, multi-step-cube-shaped, coral-shaped, dendrite-shaped and multi-antenna-shaped was successfully prepared using dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) micellar vevulsant. The effects of temperature, pH and the concentration of DTAB micellar solution on the morphology and crystalline form of CaCO₃ were systematically investigated. The prepared CaCO₃ was characterized by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The concentration of DTAB micelle, pH and reaction temperature are found to play crucial roles in the morphology, size and crystalline form of the final products. On the base of the characterizations, a possible self-assembled mechanism was proposed. The novel multi-petal-flower-shaped and multi-antenna-shaped CaCO₃ may have some unique properties and potential applications in the future.