Facile synthesis and structural insight of nanostructure akermanite powder

Abstract

Pure nanocrystalline akermanite powder was synthesized using calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, and silicate as the base materials. Base powders were mechanically activated and then heat treated at various temperatures. The produced powders were evaluated by simultaneous thermal analysis (STA), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) characterization techniques. The results showed that pure nanocrystalline akermanite was synthesized from powder mechanically activated for 50 h with subsequent annealing at 900 °C for 1 h. Nanostructured akermanite had a crystalline size of 67 nm. The formation mechanism of akermanite was scrutinized. It was found that akermanite forms through the formation of several transition compounds such as enstatite, wollastonite, larnite, and merwinite.