The Cooperative Effect of BSA Langmuir Monolayers and Magnesium Ions on Calcium Carbonate Crystallization

Abstract

The crystallization of calcium carbonate at interface of Langmuir monolayers of bovine serum albumin and subphase containing magnesium ions was studied in this paper. The results were characterized by using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The effect rules were obtained by the cooperation of bovine serum albumin Langmuir monolayers and magnesium ions. BSA Langmuir monolayers controlled calcium carbonate to magnesium ions in solution. The experiment results showed that in the presence of both BSA Langmuir monolayers at interface and magnesium ions in solutions, an orientation aragonite with regular spherical morphology was precipitated. It is indicated that BSA Langmuir monolayers and magnesium ions have a cooperative effect on controlling the polymorph and orientation of calcium carbonate crystal. The experiments suggested that BSA Langmuir monolayer acts in combination with magnesium ions to inhibit calcite crystal growth, while favoring the formation of aragonite crystals.