title: A novel method to prepare inorganic water-soluble nanocrystals.
abstract: Calcium sulphate dihydrate nanocrystals of 25-100 nm width have been synthesized in 100% purity and yield by means of a method--the cryo-vacuum process--consisting of rapid freezing of quasi-saturated solutions and subsequent vacuum assisted sublimation of water. Transmission electron microscopy reveals both curled nano-lamellae and smaller, irregular particles; electron diffraction patterns demonstrated that the particles are crystalline. This is a very powerful method for the 'clean' synthesis of moderately and completely water-soluble inorganic materials.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and CSGI Consortium, University of Florence, via della Lastruccia, 3 I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino (FI), Italy.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Salvadori
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Capitani
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mellini
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dei