Influence of sodium dodecyl sulfate and cetyl trimethylammonium bromide upon calcium carbonate precipitation on bacterial cellulose

Calcium carbonate was deposed on bacterial cellulose (BC) never-dried membranes in the presence of different concentrations of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) by a precipitation reaction between aqueous solutions of calcium chloride (CaCl₂) and sodium carbonate (Na₂CO₃) containing, or not, surfactant in their composition. Different shapes of crystals were obtained from rhombohedral ones to flowerlike, depending on surfactant type and concentration. From the two surfactants tested, SDS has a greater influence on calcium carbonate morphology than CTAB. The only polymorph obtained in all studied cases was calcite. The composite films BC-calcite were characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and color measurements. The obtained BC-calcium carbonate composites could be used in paper manufacturing.