Premium
Multi‐Step Crystallization of Barium Carbonate: Rapid Interconversion of Amorphous and Crystalline Precursors
Author(s) -
Whittaker Michael L.,
Smeets Paul J. M.,
AsayeshArdakani Hasti,
ShahbazianYassar Reza,
Joester Derk
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/anie.201709526
Subject(s) - recrystallization (geology) , amorphous solid , crystallization , materials science , carbonate , barium , barium carbonate , crystallography , precipitation , amorphous calcium carbonate , hydrate , chemical engineering , aqueous solution , mineralogy , chemistry , geology , organic chemistry , metallurgy , raw material , paleontology , physics , meteorology , engineering
The direct observation of amorphous barium carbonate (ABC), which transforms into a previously unknown barium carbonate hydrate (herewith named gortatowskite) within a few hundred milliseconds of formation, is described. In situ X‐ray scattering, cryo‐, and low‐dose electron microscopy were used to capture the transformation of nanoparticulate ABC into gortatowskite crystals, highly anisotropic sheets that are up to 1 μm in width, yet only about 10 nm in thickness. Recrystallization of gortatowskite to witherite starts within 30 seconds. We describe a bulk synthesis and report a first assessment of the composition, vibrational spectra, and structure of gortatowskite. Our findings indicate that transient amorphous and crystalline precursors can play a role in aqueous precipitation pathways that may often be overlooked owing to their extremely short lifetimes and small dimensions. However, such transient precursors may be integral to the formation of more stable phases.