Large-Scale Growth of Tubular Aragonite Whiskers through a MgCl₂-Assisted Hydrothermal Process.

In this paper, we have developed a facile MgCl₂-assissted hydrothermal synthesis route to grow tubular aragonite whiskers on a large scale. The products have been characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), optical microscopy, and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). The results show the as-grown product is pure tubular aragonite crystalline whiskers with a diameter of 5-10 mm and a length of 100-200 mm, respectively. The concentration of Mg plays an important role in determining the quality and purity of the products. Furthermore, the method can be extended to fabricate CaSO₄ fibers. The high quality of the product and the mild conditions used mean that the present route has good prospects for the growth of inorganic crystalline whiskers.