Morphology and formation mechanism of vaterite particles grown in glycine-containing aqueous solutions

Calcium carbonate crystals were precipitated in glycine-containing aqueous solutions using two methods: CO32− dripping method or diffusion method. By modulating the dripping velocity and glycine (Gly) concentration, we can control the morphologies and proportion of the acquired vaterite particles. Based on the observation, a sheet-growth mechanism was developed to explain the various vaterite morphologies, including spindly, spherical and agglomerate ones. Further discussion proposed that stirring and Gly may both serve as nucleation energy changers, which alternates the nucleation priority of vaterite and calcite.