Calcium carbonate is an excellent filler, with white color, pure quality, and high coloring ability. It has stable chemical properties, low cost, and adjustable particle size and shape. With these advantages, it has successfully entered many industries such as rubber, plastics, PVC cables, and high-grade coatings. From construction materials to food, pharmaceuticals to textiles, it is everywhere. The hidden skills of calcium carbonate make it an essential component across many industries. But do you know the eight major hidden skills of calcium carbonate ?
High value application of calcium carbonate
Conductive coatings
Light calcium carbonate is low-cost with a wide range of raw materials, commonly used in polymers, but it is non-conductive. Using it as a matrix to prepare CaCO₃-polyaniline (PANI)/SiO₂ conductive composite powder for conductive coatings can reduce costs. It enhances the mechanical strength of the coating film and imparts conductivity and antistatic properties. The SiO₂ coating also improves the acid resistance of calcium carbonate.
Food and Health
Food-grade calcium carbonate is widely used in calcium nutritional supplements and various calcium tablets. It is also added to gum, chocolate, and other foods. Developing nano-calcium carbonate with a specific surface area of 30m²/g can improve calcium content in dairy beverages and prevent precipitation. It can improve texture and extend the shelf life of seafood sauces. Calcium carbonate D3 chewable tablets are used for calcium supplementation and osteoporosis prevention, with calcium content around 50%-75%.
Ceramics
Developing calcium carbonate with uniform cubic particle distribution can be used to produce dense ceramics at low temperatures (600°C). Nano-calcium carbonate also shows good performance when applied to piezoelectric ceramics.
Engineering Plastics
Nanometer calcium carbonate prepared using new double-layer modification technology can be applied to engineering plastics, producing high whiteness and heat-resistant plastic products.
Lightweight filler
Developing spherical shell-shaped lightweight fillers with a density of only 0.2-0.3 g/cm³, they are less prone to breakage compared to other balloon fillers. These fillers can reduce the overall density and are applicable in industries like rubber and plastics.
Drug Delivery
Heavy calcium carbonate is used to prepare Pickering emulsions, with the addition of sodium alginate to create a pH-responsive emulsion system. This can serve as a nutrient or drug carrier, providing new ideas for designing enteric-coated formulations.
A team has prepared petal-shaped calcium carbonate, which efficiently loads anticancer drug salts. It has good sustained-release effects under weak acidic conditions and exhibits specific inhibitory effects on tumor cells.
Phosphorus removal from water
Research shows that the crystalline phase and particle size of calcium carbonate significantly affect phosphorus removal efficiency. When dominated by calcite with a small amount of aragonite, in spherical and cubic shapes, with small particles of 60nm accumulated into larger 3-5µm particles and a rough surface, the phosphorus removal efficiency for phosphorus-containing water can reach 73%.
Life, light, electricity
Japan uses calcium carbonate with a purity of ≥99.5% in the following fields:
- Life sciences: For example, calcium carbonate sintered bodies used as artificial bone fillers, researching their suitability as bone graft materials and cell support carriers.
- Electronics: For example, ceramic capacitors.
- Optics: For example, phosphors.
Conclusion
The hidden skills of calcium carbonate extend far beyond its common use as a filler material. Its versatility allows it to enhance the performance of various products, from improving the mechanical properties of plastics and coatings to acting as a carrier for pharmaceuticals and nutrients. With advancements in nanotechnology and surface modification, calcium carbonate continues to find new applications in industries ranging from medicine to electronics, offering cost-effective solutions with superior functionality. Its hidden potential will undoubtedly unlock even more possibilities in the future, making it an invaluable material across multiple sectors.
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