Functionalized Multiwalled CNTs in Classical and Nonclassical CaCO<sub>3</sub> Crystallization

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are interesting high-tech nanomaterials. MWCNTs oxidized and functionalized with itaconic acid and monomethylitaconate were demonstrated to be efficient additives for controlling nucleation of calcium carbonate (CaCO<sub>3</sub>) via gas diffusion (G...

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Main Authors: Andrónico Neira-Carrillo, Patricio Vásquez-Quitral, Marianela Sánchez, Masoud Farhadi-Khouzani, Héctor Aguilar-Bolados, Mehrdad Yazdani-Pedram, Helmut Cölfen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2019-08-01
Series:Nanomaterials
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/9/8/1169
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Summary:Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are interesting high-tech nanomaterials. MWCNTs oxidized and functionalized with itaconic acid and monomethylitaconate were demonstrated to be efficient additives for controlling nucleation of calcium carbonate (CaCO<sub>3</sub>) via gas diffusion (GD) in classical as well as nonclassical crystallization, yielding aragonite and truncated calcite. For the first time, all amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) proto-structures, such as proto calcite-ACC, proto vaterite-ACC and proto aragonite-ACC, were synthesized via prenucleation cluster (PNC) intermediates and stabilized at room temperature. The MWCNTs also showed concentration-dependent nucleation promotion and inhibition similar to biomolecules in nature. Incorporation of fluorescein-5-thiosemicarbazide (5-FTSC) dye-labeled MWCNTs into the CaCO<sub>3</sub> lattice resulted in fluorescent hybrid nanosized CaCO<sub>3</sub>. We demonstrate that functionalized MWCNTs offer a good alternative for controlled selective crystallization and for understanding an inorganic mineralization process.
ISSN:2079-4991