Preparation of calcium carbonate as nanoparticles from inorganic precursors and sucrose as additive with potential application as biomaterial

Abstract

In this communication, it is reported the first relevant results on a broad study on the preparation of calcium carbonate as precipitated nanoparticles of the polymorphs vaterite and calcite. The inorganic precursors are calcium nitrate tetrahydrate and sodium hydrogencarbonate, and the organic additive is sucrose in aqueous solution. The crystalline phases are studied by X-Ray powder diffraction, using a quantitative method, and the particle morphologies using scanning electron microscopy. When the organic additive is not used, calcite as the most thermodynamically stable polymorph is precipitated as nanocrystalline predominant phase (83%) mixed with vaterite. Using a high concentration of the organic additive (67%), vaterite is precipitated as the nanocrystalline predominant phase (> 98%). Using the additive in variable proportion produces the precipitation of the 2 polymorphs, being vaterite always the predominant phase. The morphology of the precipitated calcium carbonate shows nanospherical uniform particles with irregular contourns of vaterite and characteristic rhomboedral particles of calcite when this phase is present. According to the biocompatibility, this material shows interest in applications as biomaterial in bone implants.