A novel method to prepare inorganic water-soluble nanocrystals
Barbara Salvadori1, Giancarlo Capitani, Marcello Mellini
1Department of Chemistry and CSGI Consortium, University of Florence, via della Lastruccia, 3 I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino (FI), Italy.
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.
