Structure transition from aragonite to vaterite and calcite by the assistance of SDBS

Abstract

Structure transition from aragonite to vaterite and calcite with the help of anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS) was investigated, respectively, by a hydrothermal method. When the experimental temperature was controlled at 90 °C, aragonite of crystal calcium carbonate was transformed into vaterite with the assistance of SDBS. Pure vaterite was obtained as the concentration of SDBS reaches to 2.5 mM. When the experimental temperature was controlled at 120 and 150 °C, respectively, aragonite was transformed into calcite, and pure calcite was obtained as the concentrations of SDBS were equal to 1.0 and 2.5 mM, respectively. Possible formation mechanism of different CaCO 3 polymorphs was proposed based on the obtained experimental results.