Abstract
We report the spontaneous transformation of highly hydrated crystalline ikaite into less hydrated amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC), which has the outer contours of micrometer-sized crystals, a multi-level interconnected porous structure and a very high specific surface area (98.3 cm2 g−1). The ikaite was previously obtained by transformation of an uncommon hydrated ACC with as much H2O as ikaite, synthesized at 2 °C without any additives. The solid-state amorphization was induced by the fast dehydration of the crystal.
Zhaoyong Zou
Professor
My research interests include bioprocess inspired fabrication, crystallization and ceramics.
Peter Fratzl
Professor at Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Member of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
Director of the Department of Biomaterials at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, a leading scholar in biological and bio-inspired materials science, studying the relationship between hierarchical structure and physical properties of natural materials such as bone, wood, and mollusk shells.