Controlled synthesis of crystalline calcium carbonate aggregates with unusual morphologies involving the phase transformation from amorphous calcium carbonate

Peanut-shaped CaCO3 aggregates, featured of two dandelion-like heads built up from rod-like subunits, have been synthesized via a facile precipitation reaction between Na2CO3 and CaCl2 at ambient temperature in the presence of magnesium ions and ethanol solvent. The as-prepared products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). The results show that a high magnesium concentration and ethanol solvent are necessary for the formation of the unusual peanut-like aggregates. In addition, a multistep phase transformation process from amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) to a mixture of ACC and calcite and ultimately to calcite and aragonite was observed in the formation process of the unusual structures. A possible mechanism for the formation of the unusual peanut-shape aggregates has been proposed and discussed.