Calcium carbonate growth in the presence of water soluble cellulose ethers

Calcium carbonate precipitation was performed in the presence of methyl cellulose (MC) and two kinds of hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC FD-10000, HEC FD-30000). The results demonstrated that the final product morphology and structure of CaCO₃ crystals are highly sensitive to the concentration of the cellulose ethers aqueous solution. By precisely controlling their concentrations, all these three cellulose ethers solutions have the ability of protecting metastable vaterite from thermodynamically transforming into stable calcite. The intermediate products investigation showed to some extent the phase transformation of calcium carbonate in its growing process from metastable vaterite to calcite and indicated that the calcium carbonate crystal growth in HEC solutions occurs through dissolution and reprecipitation process. Calcium carbonate growth in both presence of HEC and ethanol or Mg²⁺ was also examined. This work demonstrates the potential of water soluble cellulose ethers in controlling biominerals crystallization and growth. The results are revelatory for biomineralization and fabricating new organic–inorganic hybrids based on cellulose derivatives.