Fabrication of multilayer pancakelike basic magnesium carbonate

The properties of nanomaterials was strongly affected by their microstructures. Here Mg5(CO3)4(OH)2 x 4H2O multilayer pancakelike structures were fabricated successfully by reaction of MgCl2 and Na2CO3 in aqueous solution at 363 K. The growth process of nanostructures was observed by XRD and SEM. Several transition states of multilayer pancakelike basic magnesium carbonates were observed, which help to understand better the formation process of this hierarchical nanostructures. The formation mechanism of Mg5(CO3)4(OH)2 x 4H2O multilayer pancakelike structures was discussed and helical growth was proposed. The amorphous nanoparticles were formed firstly. Then nanopartilces aggregated and oriented assembly under the direction of chemical bonds with the help of water molecules. The multilayer pancakelike basic magnesium carbonates was formed by helical growth of wafers along (100) and (001) direction. The diameter and volume decreased with the increasing concentration of reactants.