Poly (vinylsulfonic acid) assisted synthesis of aqueous solution stable vaterite calcium carbonate nanoparticles.
Calcium carbonate nanoparticles of the vaterite polymorph were synthesized by combining CaCl2 and Na2CO3 in the presence of poly (vinylsulfonic acid) (PVSA). By studying the important experimental parameters we found that controlling PVSA concentration, reaction temperature, and order of reagent addition the particle size, monodispersity, and surface charge can be controlled. By increasing PVSA concentration or by decreasing temperature CCNPs with an average size from ≈150 to 500 nm could be produced. We believe the incorporation of PVSA into the reaction plays a dual role to (1) slow down the nucleation rate by sequestering calcium and to (2) stabilize the resulting CCNPs as the vaterite polymorph, preventing surface calcification or aggregation into microparticles. The obtained vaterite nanoparticles were found to maintain their crystal structure and surface charge after storage in aqueous buffer for at least 5 months. The aqueous stable vaterite nanoparticles could be a useful platform for the encapsulation of a large variety of biomolecules for drug delivery or as a sacrificial template toward capsule formation for biosensor applications.
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, United States. Electronic address: ashvin.nagaraja@gmail.com.
Ashvin T
AT
Nagaraja
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, United States. Electronic address: sulolitp@gmail.com.
Sulolit
S
Pradhan
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, United States; Materials Science and Engineering Program, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, United States. Electronic address: mcshane@tamu.edu.
Michael J
MJ
McShane
D015374:Biosensing Techniques; D002119:Calcium Carbonate / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D002122:Calcium Chloride / Q000737:chemistry*; D002254:Carbonates / Q000737:chemistry*; D003460:Crystallization; D004337:Drug Carriers; D007700:Kinetics; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011145:Polyvinyls / Q000737:chemistry*; D013053:Spectrophotometry; D055672:Static Electricity; D013451:Sulfonic Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D013696:Temperature; D014867:Water; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
D002254:Carbonates; D004337:Drug Carriers; D011145:Polyvinyls; D013451:Sulfonic Acids; D014867:Water; C008959:lyapolate; C005686:sodium carbonate; D002119:Calcium Carbonate; D002122:Calcium Chloride
BET; Brunauer–Emmett–Teller; CCNP; Calcium carbonate; Co-precipitation; DLS; NTA; Nanoparticle; Nucleation; PVSA; Poly (vinylsulfonic acid); Vaterite; calcium carbonate nanoparticle; dynamic light scattering; nanoparticle tracking analysis; poly (vinylsulfonic acid)