Contributory roles of concentration and pH in CaCO3 growth inhibition for submicron particles synthesis with additive Ca2+

Abstract

Excessive growth of CaCO3 precipitates is inhibited by additive Ca2+. Here, we report the influence of concentration and solution pH on the extent of growth inhibition. Equal volumes of equimolar CaCl2 and Na2CO3 solutions were mixed and continuously dispersed in Ca(OH)2 solution, where Ca2+ irreversibly adsorb on the precipitates. Compared to conditions where additive Ca2+ are absent, this method can produce more than 90% decrease in particle size. We observe the degree of growth inhibition increases as the concentration of additive Ca2+, relative to the volume of precipitates, increases. An unusual role of pH is also revealed: growth inhibition that leads to the synthesis of monodisperse submicron CaCO3 particles is only observed in high alkaline pH conditions. Additive Ca2+ adsorb on CaCO3 precipitates in pH conditions above the isoelectric point (pH ≈ 9), but their ability to limit CaCO3 growth diminishes when pH < 12.