Synthesis and Surface Modification of Calcium Carbonate Nanoparticles Using Ultrasound Cavitation Technique

Calcium carbonate nanoparticles (nCaCO 3 ) was synthesized using optimized process of ultrasound assisted precipitation technique.Due to ultra-sonication phenomena, reacting components of reaction mixture gets dispersed uniformly, and at the same time nCaCO 3 particles agglomerate with each other due to strong electrostatic force of attraction developed over their surface.The de-agglomeration and charge nullification were achieved using surface modification of CaCO 3 nanoparticles using triethoxy vinyl silane (TEVS) under ultrasound environment.The surface modification of nCaCO 3 particles was confirmed using Fourier transforms infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy.Size, shape and formation of nCaCO 3 particles at nanoscale were studied using transmission electron microscopy (TEM).The size of unmodified and modified nCaCO 3 was found to be ≈50-80 and 50-90 nm, respectively, with square crystal structure morphology.Due to the surface modification by TEVS, thin layer was formed over the surface of nCaCO 3 particle, which was confirmed by TEM micrograph.The purpose behind carry out this reaction under ultrasound environment is to optimize synthesis procedure of nCaCO 3 particles, to provide effective ultrafine precipitation and give stable & uniform dispersion of inorganic particles with reactants.Moreover, the acoustic waves of ultrasound treatment are an effective controlling parameter to obtain uniform dispersion of inorganic nanoparticles in solution by producing non-linear effects in reaction mixture.In this ultrasound treatment, transient cavitation and acoustic stretching are the most dominant affecting parameters, which give homogeneous dispersion of nCaCO 3 .