Effect of polyethylene glycol on phase and morphology of calcium carbonate

Calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) with different phases and morphologies were prepared and characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The effect of polyethylene glycol (PEG) with different molecular weight and concentrations on the phase and morphology of CaCO₃ was studied. The results showed that aragonite was the only phase in the solution without PEG, while calcite phase could be obtained by the use of PEG as the additive. The possible crystallization mechanism for the formation of CaCO₃ polymorphs in the presence of different PEG was also discussed.